EU Update on Lebanon - Top EU Officials to Visit Middle East

EU Development & Humanitarian Aid Commissioner Louis Michel and EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana will visit the region in the coming days. Commissioner Michel will meet August 14-16 with Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and other members of the government and with aid workers to learn about the humanitarian priorities. "Conditions are deteriorating for civilians in Lebanon as well as in Northern Israel. The situation in Southern Lebanon is particularly critical and it is vital to restore access to the people trapped there who urgently need help," Commissioner Michel said. The European Commission has mobilized and committed an initial €20 million for humanitarian relief activities in Lebanon with the aim of increasing the overall amount available to €50 million.

Today, the EU's High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana, also travels to the region to meet with leaders in Lebanon August 11/12 and with Israeli and Palestinian leaders on August 13. Today, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso also urged that  "important steps towards ending this conflict must be taken. Both Lebanese and Israelis alike deserve a life in peace, and the EU will do its utmost to help to make it possible."

MORE

More on EU actions regarding the crisis in Lebanon

EU NewsBrief is a new electronic publication issued regularly by the Delegation of the European Commission to the United States. To receive updates on specific issue areas, click on this link.