Brussels, 29/10/2008 (Agence Europe) -Experts commissioned by the EU will visit Syria and Jordan from 1 -7 November to set in place a rehabilitation programme for refugees from Iraq. The operation will be carried out under the aegis of the European Commission, its delegation in Damascus has announced. Talks with those responsible for security and diplomacy issues in both countries are planned during this exploratory mission and the report on this, when the delegation returns, will allow the European Commission and the Council to take the decisions required to make reality the intentions already voiced in Brussels concerning both refugees in the neighbouring countries to Iraq and internally displaced persons on Iraqi soil. Up to now, the European Commission has provided aid estimated at €140 million, according to the European delegation to Damascus.
According to the Red Cross, at least 4.2 million Iraqis are believed to have left their homes since March 2003, when the military intervention of the United States in Iraq began, (and) almost half have taken refuge in Syria and Jordan, where they rely on Red Cross societies in two primary health centres. This wave of migration in the Middle East is, it continues, "the largest since 1948". It also states that "although Jordan did not initially wish to allow refugees to benefit from its public health services, Syria, on the other hand, opened the doors to its hospitals, but their capacity was very quickly saturated". (F.B./transl.fl)