“We must activate Eufor Libya in Misrata, it is urgent” A. Danjean

(BRUXELLES2) Arnaud Danjean, the chairman of the defense sub-committee of the European Parliament, whom B2 spoke to on the phone, is not happy with the European wait-and-see attitude towards Libya. While the situation in Misrata (western Libya) is difficult, the inhabitants need food, medicine, ... “The European Union remains inactive. We have nevertheless decided to set up an operation, called EUFOR Libya. But this remains totally virtual. I plead for the EU to quickly activate this mission, at least in Misrata. there is an emergency."

The French UMP-PPE MEP regrets that the European Union has "hands tied by making the launch of this operation conditional on a request from OCHA. As much as it is logical that we place all our missions within the framework set by the United Nations, that we act on a request from the United Nations (NB: this had been the case for the EUFOR Chad operation with a request from the Secretary General). But waiting for a request from a single United Nations agency is not normal.." And to conclude. "It is a pity that the only European CSDP response to the Libyan response is today blocked".

Read also:

• No request for assistance from OCHA to the EU, for the moment (Update)
• Humanitarian action in Libya. Brits and Turks take the EU by storm
• EUFOR Libya: an “on demand” operation. Some details !

NB: OCHA is headed by a Briton, Valerie Amos, former President of the House of Lords (just before Cathy Ashton - read: A Baroness, Blairite shock, appointed to a key position at the United Nations) and development secretary in Tony Blair's government in 2003; the coordination of NGOs on site is ensured by two British NGOs: "Save the Children UK" and "Oxfam UK"