Assessing the impact of the EMPA’s parliamentary diplomacy in International conflicts : contribution or obstacle?

Abstract

This chapter analyzes Euro-Mediterranean relations from the perspective of their parliamentary angle, and in particular from the role that the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly plays in the numerous international conflicts that exist in the region. The chapter's main objective is to present an assessment by concentrating on three such examples: the Middle East, Cyprus and the Western Sahara. The conclusion is that so far there has been to a large extent an unproductive near-obsession with the Palestinian issue, whereas on the contrary, there is no interest whatsoever in the other two conflicts. The reasons for this are many but the main one can be summarized as follows: the external effects of the latter two conflicts can more or less be contained. Those of the Middle East cannot. It is argued that such a poor record is not only due to the intrinsic difficulties of the conflicts involved, but also reflects badly on the real and potential role that parliamentary diplomacy can and should play in conflict resolution.