Council Conclusions on Iraq, Foreign Affairs Council meeting, Brussels, 15 August 2014

Author (Corporate)
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Series Details 15.08.14
Publication Date 15/08/2014
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The EU reiterated its firm commitment to Iraq's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Ministers expressed more specifically their concern about the dire humanitarian situation and the deterioration of the security situation in Iraq as a result of the assaults by ISIL.

The Council welcomed the decision by individual member states to respond positively to the call by the Kurdish regional authorities to provide urgently military material. Such responses would be done according to the capabilities and national laws of the member states, and with the consent of the Iraqi national authorities.

The EU would assess how to prevent ISIL benefitting from oil sales and condemned those funding the ISIL in contravention of UNSCR 1267 and subsequent resolutions. The Council invited the European External Action Service to ensure a stronger presence in Erbil.

The Council recalled the substantial efforts of solidarity that the EU and its member states were making to provide humanitarian aid and welcomed the commitment of additional European funds as well as the mobilisation of the European Emergency Response Coordination Centre and the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism.

The EU welcomed the nomination of Mr. Heider Al Abadi as Prime Minister-designate and expressed its continued support for the constitutional process.

Separately, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution on the 15 August 2014 condemning radical Islamists in Iraq and Syria and their supporters.

The European Commission announced on the 18 August 2014 that the EU Civil Protection Mechanism was helping European humanitarian aid arrive in Iraq as Kristalina Georgieva, the European Commissioner for International Cooperation, Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Response was in the country to address the worsening humanitarian situation.

Source Link Link to Main Source http://www.consilium.europa.eu/uedocs/cms_data/docs/pressdata/EN/foraff/144311.pdf
Related Links
BBC News, 15.08.14: Iraq crisis: EU condemns 'atrocities' by IS militants http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-28800854
http://eeas.europa.eu/iraq/index_en.htm http://eeas.europa.eu/iraq/index_en.htm
ESO: Background information: Europe desperately seeking answers on Iraq http://www.europeansources.info/record/europe-desperately-seeking-answers-on-iraq/
France24, 16.08.14: EU ministers vow to aid Iraq in fight against ISIS militants http://www.france24.com/en/20140815-eu-ministers-vow-aid-iraq-fight-against-isis-militants-kurds/
Deutsche Welle, 15.08.14: UNSC takes aim at jihadist supporters in Iraq and Syria http://dw.de/p/1CvcE
Euro|Topics, 18.08.14: EU backs weapons supplies for Kurds http://www.eurotopics.net/en/home/presseschau/archiv/archiv_dossier/DOSSIER148796-EU-backs-weapons-supplies-for-Kurds
UK: Parliament: House of Commons: Library: UK arms transfers to the Peshmerga in Iraqi Kurdistan - Commons Library Standard Note, August 2014 (updated subsequently on occasion) http://www.parliament.uk/briefing-papers/sn06963/uk-arms-transfers-to-the-peshmerga-in-iraqi-kurdistan
European Commission: RAPID: Press Release, IP/14/934: Humanitarian aid reaches Iraq via EU Civil Protection Mechanism http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-14-934_en.pdf
Deutsche Welle, 15.08.14: Opinion: There is no European foreign policy http://dw.de/p/1CvcP

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