Brussels, 19/08/2014 (Agence Europe) - European foreign ministers have given their support to arming the Kurds in Iraq, as sought by some member states on Friday 15 August during a special “Foreign Affairs Council”.
In a joint declaration they adopted, ministers announced, “the Council welcomes the decision by different member states to positively respond to the appeal launched by the Kurdish regional authorities to urgently provide military material”. The Italian, British and Czech governments can now send weapons, whilst France had already announced its decision to do so on 13 August.
On 10 August, the president of Iraqi Kurdistan, Massoud Barzani, called on the international community to provide weapons to the Kurds to help them stop the advance of the jihadists from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
Ministers underlined their extreme concern about the disastrous humanitarian situation and the massive displacement of civilians, mainly in the regions of the North, following the assaults made by ISIL and other armed allied groups. They welcomed the commitment of additional humanitarian funds - a further €5 million announced on 12 August - as well as the mobilisation of the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre and activation of the EU's Civil Protection Mechanism to provide assistance, including the setting up of a humanitarian air bridge in the north of Iraq. Ministers added that “the EU underlines the need to take urgent action to facilitate, in accordance with international humanitarian law, access to the populations in need”. They are calling on the European External Action Service to ensure a strong presence in Erbil.
Ministers also condemned “in the strongest terms” the attacks perpetrated by ISIL and other involved groups, as well as the atrocities and violations of basic human rights, “in particularly when they are committed against targeted religious minorities and most vulnerable groups”. The Council emphasised that some of the acts committed could constitute crimes against humanity, and that they should be the subject of an enquiry, so that those responsible for committing them are held accountable for their actions.
The EU has welcomed US efforts to support the Iraqi local and national authorities in their fight against ISIL. It has also given its “strong support” to the UN Assistance Mission in Iraq and calls on Iraq's neighbouring countries and other partners to step up cooperation and provide practical action to facilitate a long-term solution to the current crisis. On 13 August, ambassadors from EU countries called on the European External Action Service to consult Iraq's neighbouring countries and western partners to work out the different options for promoting further EU action. Ministers also warned that “the EU will assess how to prevent ISIL benefiting from oil sales and condemns those funding the ISIL”.
Foreign ministers also welcomed the nomination of Haider Al-Abadi to the post of Prime Minister elect and expressed their continuing support for the constitutional process. Ministers indicated that “the EU is confident that the Prime Minister will proceed with the formation of a new government as a matter of urgency and insists on the importance for it to be inclusive and able to address the needs and legitimate aspirations of all the Iraqi citizens”. They also called on all political, religious and tribal leaders in the country to help strengthen the credibility of the future Iraqi government. (CG)