Foreign Affairs committee  I think Ambassador Lamani said it correctly, that Turkey is not a country like Chad or Mali. It has tremendous military intelligence resources. I have heard many sources explaining how, for example, members of the al-Nusra front were moving freely across Turkish border points.

Foreign Affairs committee  Well, much of what is happening in Syria, and what has been happening in Iraq as well, has been a regional power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. The fault lines have been the Sunni-Shia divide. Clearly, the Assad regime would have collapsed had it not been for the interve

Foreign Affairs committee  As I explained, the Assad regime has successfully positioned itself as the lesser of the two evils, and there is in effect a military alliance now between the west and the Assad regime. One of the questions, of course, is not to identify ISIL as the enemy, but to think about what

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, Mr. Garneau. My understanding is that there have been certain divisions of opinion within the Saudi Arabian political establishment itself about Saudi Arabia's regional role, and that certain steps have been taken to try to control the flow of funds, and much more nee

Foreign Affairs committee  Well, we've had a strong military component now for many years in that region of the world, and it has really seemingly only exacerbated the problems. Does Iraq need a solid national non-sectarian army? Absolutely. It's a pity that after all these years, there was a failure to cr

Foreign Affairs committee  Well, other than the obligation of Canada to comply with international law, we have to realize that we are engaged in a struggle for hearts and minds, and the ends don't justify the means. I think the way in which Canada and other western democracies conduct themselves will have

Foreign Affairs committee  Thank you, sir. Of course, I'm not an expert on military matters. I would say that clearly there is an important role to be played by the military in preventing ISIL from committing further atrocities. All I was trying to emphasize was that the military solution is only a short

Foreign Affairs committee  Mr. Chair, distinguished members of the committee, thank you for having invited me to appear before you today. I would also like to thank the Canadian High Commission in London for having made this video conference possible. My testimony today will focus on the context within w

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I know that Professor Cotler has, for many years, been at the forefront of a proposal with respect to bringing the leadership of Iran before the International Criminal Court. Of course, the problem is that Iran has not recognized the court's jurisdiction and has not signed the tr

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you for that question. I will perhaps leave your second question for Ms. Tamás. I will simply say one of the Bahá’í principles that enrages the hardliner religious leaders in Iran is the equality of men and women. Very often the propaganda portrays Bahá’í women as being imm

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you.

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  I would assume, sir, that question is for me?

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  It's an excellent question. That is what I try to allude to in my statement about post-apartheid South Africa, about a negotiated peaceful transition. I think I was asked whether the regime is on the brink of collapse. You never know: it's very difficult, and collapses don't come

Subcommittee on International Human Rights committee  Thank you, Professor Cotler. It's a pleasure to speak with you. I think that the efforts such as the adoption by members of Parliament, of the Senate, of political prisoners and publicizing their plight, all of these are important measures. When political prisoners are forgotten