EU foreign ministers to hold talks on Lebanon
European Union foreign ministers will hold special talks on Tuesday to discuss efforts to end the conflict in Lebanon, diplomats said today.
The announcement comes amid stepped up EU diplomatic efforts to try to end the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah militants in southern Lebanon.
The EU is also looking at ways to improve aid to victims of the conflict there.
The European Commission said today it was sending an additional €10m in humanitarian aid to Lebanon and €11m in separate aid to help cover the costs of travel home for citizens of poor countries fleeing the country.
The European Commission said the total amount of humanitarian aid it has committed since fighting began in Lebanon now stands at €20m. EU spokesman Michael Mann said the European Union has set aside a provisional €50m in its budget for aid relief in Lebanon.
The additional aid to pay for evacuating non-Europeans is meant to cover travel costs for around 10,000 people, mostly from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Philippines, officials said.
They said up to 200,000 workers from developing nations, mostly in Asia, were living in Lebanon.
The evacuation aid was meant to relieve pressure on EU nation Cyprus, which is overwhelmed with fleeing Europeans and other nationals from Lebanon.
EU Development Commissioner Louis Michel reiterated calls for both Israel and Hezbollah militants “to respect humanitarian rules and principles” and allow aid workers into the worst hit areas, in southern Lebanon.
“Safe humanitarian corridors must be granted as a matter of urgency,” Michel said in a statement.
He said aid convoys were ready to roll into conflict zones, but have so far not received the green light that they can transport their goods to victims.
“This is not enough. I urge the warring parties to accept a humanitarian truce,” Michel said.
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