Brussels, 11/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 11 October, the European Union signed a contract for around €2 million for ten armoured vehicles, in response to a request from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), said Michael Mann, the spokesperson for High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, the same day.
“These vehicles will help the inspectors and technicians in their work” of monitoring the destruction of Syria's chemical arsenal, Mann said. He stated that eight vehicles will be delivered to Beirut “next week” and the other two “a little later”, but he gave no further details on when. Earlier in the year, the EU provided 25 vehicles to the United Nations for €10 million.
Mann said that the EU had not received requests for the European experts but that the member states will continue to discuss the issue to see how to help the organisation. Mann also said that the EU will continue to provide detailed maps to the UN and OPCW. He added that the EU had set up an office that will coordinate the requests from the OPCW and UN, which will be sent to the member states to maximise the effectiveness of the work with these organisations (see EUROPE 10938).
On 11 October, the OPCW received the Nobel Peace Prize, following on from the European Union last year. (CG/transl.fl)