The departure of Brussels Secretary of State Pascal Smet again put pressure on Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib (MR). Did he make the right decision in granting visas to the Iranian delegation?

“Pascal told me (…) yesterday about his conversation with Lahbib. He said he had no problem with Iranian – and Russian – cities being invited”, according to one of the emails from his cabinet made public by Secretary of State Pascal Smet (Vooruit).

This suggests that Foreign Minister Hadja Lahbib (MR) gave his approval to Pascal Smet (Vooruit) on May 10, at least according to the latter. On May 10, the two spoke on the phone for four minutes and a few seconds while Lahbib was on a mission in Tunisia.

Versions of the conversation differ slightly, but in essence Lahbib said that visas must go through normal procedures.

But in his resignation on Sunday, Pascal Smet made clear that he thinks he too has to take his responsibilities. It is true that it was the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that sent this visa through the embassy in Tehran. Not much time. On 8 June only, the Brussels administration confirmed that thirteen people from Iran had registered for the event in Brussels which started on 12 June.

The main reason why there is discussion about visas for Iran is because Russian visitors have visas through other countries in the Schengen zone and can thus travel to Belgium. If Lahbib has any doubts about the visa application from Iran, he can hand over the award to the Immigration Department.

According to information from Morning Lahbib has not yet and Federal Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor (CD&V) will probably remain unaffected. This is not uncommon: on average, diplomatic missions handle 80 percent of short-term visa applications themselves.

Usually, Belgian diplomatic posts abroad issue visas if conditions are met. That was probably Lahbib’s defense in parliament: his visa had gone through the normal procedures and met all the criteria. As he promised his Brussels colleague Smet in May.

HAM vs. diplomacy

“The Secretary of State is much more than a stamp maker,” said N-VA Member of Parliament Peter De Roover. “He will have to break the political knot at some point.”

Some MPs are going to fire on him about this, not just from the opposition. In Vooruit, Smet’s party, they do not wish to respond publicly right now, but their MPs will pose critical questions on Wednesday. Smet provided the text and explanation at the party office on Monday.

And Ecolo, who has MP in Samuel Cogolati who frequently stands on international human rights abuses, doesn’t want to let this pass him by. “The transparency that came through the Brussels parliament about the role of Pascal Smet should also be introduced in the Council,” he said.

Equally noteworthy is the recent forced departure of Green Foreign Minister Sarah Schlitz for personal signatures on official documents. Chairman MR Georges-Louis Bouchez, who nominated Hadja Lahbib as minister, then resorted to coercion, but according to Cogolati revenge did not play a role in this motivation.

At the heart of this visa scandal is the tension between human rights and diplomacy. “Those who prioritize human rights over diplomacy often come back from hard times,” said emeritus professor of international relations Rik Coolsaet (UGent).

“Foreign policy is about looking after our interests and sometimes conflicts with human rights. Our government has struggled with the question: did you talk to Mobutu or not?

The example of Robin Cook, British Foreign Secretary under Tony Blair, is well known. He would be the man to place ethical principles at the heart of foreign policy. As a result, he had to resign when his government invaded Iraq.

Estimation error

Smet says he bypassed ethical dilemmas in favor of what he calls “city diplomacy”. Maybe a misjudgment. The visit of the delegation from Tehran, with a photo opportunity at the Brussels city hall, was in contrast to the diplomatic encounter between Lahbib and his Iranian counterpart.

“It’s about the mayor and his retinue, so the stakes are much smaller,” said Coolsaet. “If it’s not important, then you shouldn’t do it, given the current geopolitical situation.”

That’s a judgment Pascal Smet can make and this week it should be clear whether it’s a shared responsibility. Could Lahbib be more proactive and refuse visas?

“If someone is from a suspicious regime, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has to ask itself if there is a good reason to bring those people in,” said Marc Bossuyt, former Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons.

Lahbib’s cabinet could not be reached for comment.