Brussels, 21/03/2011 (Agence Europe) - On Monday 21 March, foreign affairs ministers from the EU27 confirmed in Brussels that the EU was prepared to step up its assistance to the increasing number of people fleeing the conflict in Libya (EUROPE 10340). Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, informed the press that the EU had expressed its willingness to provide assistance under the ESDP and deploy new civil protection measures (Ed: for evacuating civilians). The high representative explained that she would remain in contact with Ban Ki-moon, Amr Moussa and Jean Ping and that the key question involved humanitarian issues.
It is difficult to have a clear idea of the number of people requiring assistance in these combat zones, which are difficult or impossible to access. On Monday, Raphael Brigandi, the spokesman for Kristalina Georgieva, the commissioner for humanitarian assistance and crisis response, declared that “since 17 March, the number of people to evacuate at the Egyptian border has risen from 817 to more than 2,300”. The number of refugees has significantly increased but is not yet overwhelming. A coordination meeting is expected to take place with the IOM, UNHCR and the member states in an effort to provide an optimum response to the consequences of the military operation. (A.N./transl.fl).