Brussels, 22/08/2006 (Agence Europe) - Following the adoption of Resolution 1701 of the Security Council which opens the way to reinforcing Unifil in the Lebanon, the Finnish presidency of the Council of the EU has arranged a meeting for 23 August in Brussels, at the request, notably, of France and Italy, of the Political and Security Committee (Cops) at a senior official level, in an effort to check the willingness of Member States in the EU to support this reinforcement. In the meantime, the Italian minister for foreign affairs Massimo D'Alema requested the presidency, which is currently consulting Member States on this subject, to arrange a special meeting of EU foreign affairs ministers as soon as possible in order to define the modalities and mandate for the European mission in the Lebanon. According to the Italian press agency Ansa, sources from Farnesina have indicated that the meeting could take place on 25 August. Italian prime minister Romano Prodi confirmed to Kofi Annan that Italy was prepared to take command of the peace keeping force in the Lebanon (with between 2000 and 3000 soldiers, Italy is expected to provide more than a third of the troops offered by the EU, indicated Mr D'Alema to La Repubblica).
Addressing the European Parliament, the Chairmen of the foreign affairs and “defence and security” subcommittee, Elmar Brok and Karl von Wogau explained that the new force in the Lebanon should include a strong European core. The two German Christian Democrats said that the European contribution should “complement the European diplomatic effort”, which excludes any participation by German combat troops. German Social Democrat Jo Leinen, Chairman of the constitutional affairs committee described in a press release “the EU's incapability to act as a first class tragedy” and that “Europe shows itself once more divided” when developing countries such as Bangladesh and Malaysia “offer more help to the UN than all 25 EU members”. He deplored the fact that without a European constitution or an EU foreign affairs minister the EU “is speechless and incapable of acting”. He called on Javier Solana to “present a coordinated contribution of the EU in support of the UN resolution 1701”. Francis Wurtz chairman of the GUE/NGL group, called for the September plenary (from 4-7 September) to provide a debate on the “situation in the Middle East and the role of the European Union” concluding with a resolution. He also insisted on the participation of Javier Solana at this debate.
On 24 August, MEPs at the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA) will (together with MEPs from Member States and partner Mediterranean countries) examine the issue of “What kind of 'new Middle East' will emerge from the Lebanon war?” during a special meeting of the Assembly Bureau. This meeting will be attended by president Borrell, EMPA president Foud Mebazaa (president of the House of Tunisian Deputies), Anna Benaki Psarouda, the president of the Greek parliament and Ahmed Fethi Sorour, president of the Egyptian People's Assembly. Spanish Socialist Carlos Carnero indicated in a press release that this event will provide an opportunity for parliamentarians to propose the sending of an EMPA delegation to Lebanon. (On 9 August, the four president called in a joint declaration for the UN Security Council and the EU to assume their role and re-establish dialogue in the Middle East and for all parliamentary members at the EMPA to exert their influence on the respective governments to bring an end to the conflict).
The Commissioner of development and humanitarian aid Louis Michel, accompanied by the Finnish minister for development Paula Lehtomäki had meetings in the Lebanon and on the 17 August in Israel where he called for the Israeli blockade imposed on the Lebanon to be lifted to the population there could receive humanitarian aid and provide help in removing land mines in Lebanon (which threaten displaced persons returning to southern Lebanon after the cease-fire). Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas took part in a meeting on 17 August in Athens to coordinate follow up action following the intervention of the European Commission's monitoring and information centre that is planning to tackle the oil slick that has so far contaminated 20-30 km of Lebanese coast line after the bombardments destroyed a supply reservoir at the electricity plant in Jieh (EUROPE 9243).