Athens, 17/04/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Thursday morning in Athens, the Greek Presidency diffused a statement on Iraq on behalf of the European Union. The text, which received the approval of the Fifteen, was developed on the basis of an agreement reached on Wednesday on the fringe of the informal European Council between the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Spain. It follows a series of bilateral talks between the Heads of State or Government and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, who also took part at the European Conference meeting on Thursday. The full text of the declaration is given below:
"The European Union welcomes the presence of the United Nations Secretary General and the opportunity to discuss with him the next step in Iraq. At this stage the coalition has the responsibility to ensure a secure environment, including for the provision of humanitarian assistance and the protection of the cultural heritage and museums. The people of Iraq now have the chance to shape a new future for their country and to rejoin the International Community.
The International Community has a major contribution to make in that process, in particular; - the UN must play a central role including in the process leading towards self-government for the Iraqi people, utilising its unique capacity and experience in post-conflict nation building; - Iraq's neighbours should support stability in Iran and the region; - The EU reaffirms its commitment to play a significant role in the political and economic reconstruction of the country; - The EU welcomes the participation of the International Financial Institutions as set out in the recent statement by the G7 at the World Bank meeting in Washington.
The EU welcomes the appointment by the UN Secretary-General of a special adviser on Iraq and looks forward to a further strengthening of the UN's involvement in post-conflict Iraq, initially in the coordination of humanitarian assistance. As part of the process of regional security and stability the EU reaffirms its commitment to bring the Israeli/Palestinian peace process to a successful conclusion through the implementation of the steps foreseen in the Quartet's Roadmap, keeping within the established time lines. It is essential that there is an early endorsement by Chairman Arafat and the Palestinian Legislative Council of a Cabinet, nominated by Abu Mazen and committed to reform".
Speaking at a press conference after the European Conference, European Council President Costas Simitis stressed that Kofi Annan had presented "very interesting ideas concerning the reconstruction of Iraq and the re-establishment of democracy". He said that the Presidency declaration had been endorsed by "all our friends and partners". The European Conference also approved the Commission's proposal concerning the airlift to be set in place for "more intensive action in Iraq for airlifting children who need medical treatment to the nearest hospitals in the region or in Europe", explained European Commission President Romano Prodi. The spokesperson for the European Commission, Reijo Kempinen had pointed out earlier that the Commission president had proposed using part of the total financial allocation earmarked for humanitarian aid in Iraq (EUR 100 million) for establishing an airlift in order to transport those seriously wounded, especially children. This action should be coordinated by the Community's Humanitarian Office, ECHO. The idea of an airlift was enthusiastically welcomed by most Heads of State and Government, including Tony Blair, Gerhard Schröder, who assured that Germany would be willing to take in a large number of children, and Jacques Chirac, who said he had suggested this idea to Mr Prodi.
In his remarks on Iraq before the European Conference (see p.5), UN Secretary General Kofi Annan mainly noted that no problem has divided the world in this way since the end of the Cold War and that it is essential to repair this divide as soon as possible. He said there is no need for anyone to give up their positions of principle. But it is necessary to define a series of principles and objectives around which everyone can rally. The first concern should be the welfare of the Iraqis, and the UN, which has already begun to assume an essential humanitarian role, will do everything it can in "full independence and impartiality", Mr Annan assured. The international community must carry out action in Iraq taking inspiration from a series of principles on which "I believe, we all agree", he said, namely: - sovereignty, political independence and territorial integrity of Iraq; - a free choice of government for the Iraqi people and control of natural resources by Iraqis; - the end of Iraq's isolation; - and the definition by the Security Council of any role entrusted to the UN "over and beyond the purely humanitarian task" (Kofi Annan insisted that it would be out of the question for the UN to play a subordinate role under the authority of an occupying power).