Brussels, 15/01/2013 (Agence Europe) - An extraordinary meeting of EU foreign ministers is to be held in Brussels on Thursday 17 January to take stock of the situation in Mali. The meeting was called by Catherine Ashton, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, to examine possible EU support action in Mali, including the swift deployment of the EUTM Mali mission aimed at training and advising the Malian armed forces and providing financial and logistical assistance for the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission to Mali (AFISMA), as well as any other direct support to the Malian government to help it confront the current situation. The decision, announced in these terms on Monday evening after the Crisis Platform meeting on Mali (see EUROPE 10763), was confirmed by Ashton on Tuesday 15 January when speaking before the European Parliament in Strasbourg, on the fourth day of French military intervention. The meeting was convened due to the fact that Operation Serval has been launched and the EU is resolved to speed up preparations in order to deploy its EUTM Mali mission as soon as possible.
Ashton thanked Martin Schulz, European Parliament President, for having included the debate on Mali in the plenary session. She above all thanked France and the ECOWAS countries for going to Mali's assistance. She said the international community was unanimous in the need to aid Mali, and pointed out that the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council of 10 and 14 January evoke the threat to Mali's peace and security. Ashton said they should act for strategic and humanitarian reasons, just as ECOWAS, the United Nations and France reacted to President Traoré's call for assistance. The Algerian and Moroccan decisions to authorise over-flight of their airspace are of crucial importance, she said, adding that the EU must spearhead the international support effort for Mali. The EU's Crisis Platform has allowed all 27 EU member states to note the urgency of the situation and to take stock of what France needs. Also, the talks that the High Representative had with Laurent Fabius, France's Foreign Minister, were very useful.
Ashton said Thursday's Foreign Affairs Council will adopt an action plan, adding that action should be speeded up. The Malian foreign minister is on his way to Brussels, she said, adding that she will be meeting him and that he will meet the Council. “Our mission must be deployed as quickly as possible. It is urgent for Mali to have a professional, effective army”, Ashton said (our translation). She went on to point out that the EU will also support the African countries that will be deploying ground troops under the leadership of the United Nations, via the African Peace Facility Fund and via logistical support. The humanitarian effort will also be stepped up to face up to the ever-increasing flow of refugees from Mali. In addition to the €58 million allocated in 2012, €20 million are immediately available. The High Representative also announced that she will appoint a special representative for the Sahel region in order to ensure the international community's action is well coordinated. She pointed out that the immediate priority is to safeguard Mali's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
During the debate, the large political groups (EPP, ALDE, PES, Greens/EFA) were unanimous in expressing their solidarity with France and calling on the EU to show solidarity with France. Voices, like that of José Ignacio Salfrano Sanchez-Neyr (EPP), were raised, however, to ask why the EU had waited so long before reacting to a threat that could have been foreseen. Véronique De Keyser (PES, Belgium) said (our translation): “For the past year, our Malian friends have been asking for help. This war is a collateral consequence of the war in Libya where criminal groups of the Al Qaeda kind have crossed the border. I hail the courage shown by the French government”.
Among all the praise shown for France, only the GUE expressed reservations about the possible motivations for Operation Serval, other than just simply the need to eliminate the terrorist threat - such as the greed for uranium. To those who, like Daniel Cohn-Bendit, deplored the fact that the EU had no civil or military intervention force, Ashton said there were failings in European construction which is why France is playing a role that exceeds its capabilities. She announced that she will also bring together the defence ministers as soon as possible. A large part of the planning has already been done, she said, and one must not under-estimate the work accomplished to ensure a political future for the people of that region. Some want troops but there are member states that react with speed, she went on, saying that everything has been done in liaison with the European authorities. France's needs in aviation logistics and medical support were expressed at the weekend. Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and Belgium (Tuesday 15 January for the latter) have answered favourably. Eight EU member states have already suggested providing 400-500 military for the EUTM Mali mission. (AN/transl.jl)