MESOP : A TABLE OF WESTERN STATEMENTS ON IRAQI KURDISTAN / EUROPEAN SUMMARY

West support Kurdish forces against terror – By Roni Alasor& Lorin Sarkisian

Middle East Diplomatic, Brussels 9 August 2014 – US, EU countries United Kingdom (UK), France and Germany support Kurdish forces in their fight against “islamic” state or isis terrorists in South Kurdistan (Iraq).

The French President Francois Hollande declared that “France is going to look with the United States and all its partners at what action could be taken to provide jointly all the necessary support to put an end to the civilians` suffering. It is ready to play its full part in this.” The French President condemned “the intolerable atrocities which the Islamic State continues to carry out against the Iraqi people as a whole, and against vulnerable minorities, namely Iraqi Christians and Yezidis.”

Hollande called on the European Union to play an active role in the joint effort and put in place all possible means of assistance to address the humanitarian catastrophe.

The UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon also backed the US intervention in Iraq and promised to help US in the humanitarian operation with technical assistance in terms of refueling and surveillance.

“We are offering aid of our own which we have to drop over the next couple of days in support of the American relief effort, particularly to help the plight of those trapped on top of the mountain,” Fallon said in London.

Britain’s ministry for the Middle East will also donate $8.4 million to the UN’s refugee agency and other aid groups to help 140,000 Yezidi and Christian refugees who had to leave their homes.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier also expressed Germany`s support for the air strikes launched by Washington: “In the short term air strikes seem to be the only way to prevent an advance by (Islamic State) and to open up escape routes. Now it`s a matter of preventing genocide and freeing the affected people from their terrible plight” Steinmeier said.

Hollande said France intended to pursue its efforts at the Security Council for conditions allowing the international community to provide assistance and protection to civilians and displaced people in Iraq. http://www.med-diplomatic.com/nuce.php?aid=734