Brussels, 22/02/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 20 February, MEPs from the Friends of a Free Iran intergroup called on High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton to mobilise the EU and the European External Action Service (EEAS) for the “immediate return” of the 3,100 residents of Camp Liberty, Iranian dissidents, to their former Camp Ashraf in Iraq, after the attack on Camp Liberty on 9 February, and to assure them of their refugee status, which they asked for 18 months ago, and a rapid resettlement in other countries. Greatly criticising “the silence, inaction and extremely passive role” of Ashton, they also called on her to condemn the Iraqi and Iranian regimes for these “crimes against humanity” - regimes that they consider responsible for the rocket attack on Camp Liberty on 9 February. The attack, with over 40 rockets, killed seven people and left hundreds of others wounded.
Ashton's spokesperson told EUROPE on 22 February that “this incident reminds us of the urgency to accelerate the UN-facilitated resettlement process, with the cooperation of both the residents of the Camp and all the countries which have offered to receive them. Resettlement is the only viable solution to this complex issue.” He added that Ashton had condemned the attack on the very day it happened - a condemnation which seemingly went unnoticed - and praised the call of UNAMI (United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq) on the Iraqi government for an urgent inquiry into the attack. The EU has also called on UNAMI and on Martin Kobler, the special representative of the UN secretary general, to reinforce the UN presence and activity on the camp. (CG/transl.fl)