Georgieva supports the French initiative at the UN

(BRUSSELS2) The European Commission has warmly welcomed the proposal by Laurent Fabius (French Foreign Minister) to put humanitarian issues at the center of the UN debate tomorrow (30 August). "This is an opportunity to reiterate the call of the European Union to all parties to the conflict to fully respect the principles of International Humanitarian Law and to insist once again on access to victims for local and international humanitarian organizations. said European Commissioner for International Cooperation and Humanitarian Aid, Kristalina Georgieva. While the head of French diplomacy has just completed a visit to the region, this meeting will notably see the participation of Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon and Jordan, all overwhelmed by the influx of refugees. France should therefore once again, with the support of the EU, demand the establishment of direct humanitarian access to the country, ie a safe zone in Syria.

The Commissioner also reaffirmed the Union's determination to provide assistance to those in urgent need, "both within the country and beyond its borders". The European Union has so far provided funding of 146 million Euros in humanitarian aid. (Also read: In the Middle East, preparing for the worst)