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News Releases
No. 68/06
August 10, 2006
LOUIS MICHEL TO VISIT LEBANON AND ISRAEL, 14-17 AUGUST 2006
 Louis Michel, the European Commissioner for
Development and
Humanitarian
Aid, will visit
Lebanon on 14-16 August and Israel on 17 August. In Beirut, he
will meet Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and other members of the Lebanese
government. He will also meet aid workers and visit centres for internally
displaced people (IDPs) to learn directly about the humanitarian priorities and
practical challenges. In Tel Aviv, Mr. Michel will meet the Vice Prime Minister
and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Tzipi Livni, and the Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Defence, Amir Peretz. Commissioner Michel said "Secure humanitarian
access to victims of the conflict and an end to hostilities – these are the top
priorities that I will address during my visit."
Commissioner Michel added: "I call again for respect of the international
humanitarian rules that are designed to limit the effects of armed conflict on
non-combatants. Every day, innocent people are dying. Thousands more have been
injured and hundreds of thousands uprooted. 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.
"The list of relief needs gets longer every day - basic things like food,
shelter, clean water, medicines and hygiene items. The fuel shortage threatens
the functioning of hospitals."
The European Commission has mobilised initial emergency humanitarian funding worth €20
million. The funds, managed by the Commission's Humanitarian Aid department
(ECHO), target the most needy, notably the growing numbers of uprooted people
who have been forced to flee their homes.
In addition to the €20 million already committed for relief activities in
Lebanon, the Commission is proposing the allocation of further substantial
humanitarian support, drawing on the emergency reserve of the EC budget. The aim
is to increase the overall amount available to €50 million.
Overall EU response to Lebanon conflict
As well as humanitarian aid, the European Union has provided
financial
assistance for the evacuation of third-country nationals and expertise and
equipment to help tackle a major oil spill off the Lebanese coast.
The EU is actively involved in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.
Javier
Solana, the EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy
(CFSP) is traveling to the Middle East at the end of this week
(August 11-13). He will
have high level discussions with leaders on the latest developments in the
conflict between Israel and Lebanon and the efforts, that he strongly supports
and encourages, to secure agreement on a UN Security Council Resolution aimed at
bringing the conflict to an end.
For further information, please visit:
http://www.eurunion.org/newsweb/HotTopics/mideast.htm
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Further Contact Information
Press and Public Diplomacy
Delegation of the European Commission
2300 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20037
http://www.eurunion.org/PressRoom
Tel: 202-862-9552
Fax: 202-429-1766
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