In Mali, a little solidarity would not be superfluous
(BRUXELLES2 in Strasbourg) "Solidarity" is the key word of the intervention Arnaud Danjean, the chairman of the Defense sub-committee at the European Parliament (and member of the UMP) who spoke on Wednesday evening, before a European Parliament unfortunately quite empty for a debate on foreign policy issues (deputies admittedly exhausted by a marathon vote on the common agricultural policy). In Mali, " France loses soldiers. It carries out a mission on behalf of the European Union, welcomed by all countries. (...) We should ask ourselves about solidarity, not just financial, what it means on the merits he stated. And to hope for a slightly more active and proactive approach from the European Union. “There is a lot of talk about a comprehensive approach in the Sahel. But this is imposed and endured. I hope that the European Union will do something else so as not to suffer from the global approach. »
Malian friends have been calling us for help for a year!
A comment shared on other benches of Parliament. Belgian MEP Véronique de Keyser (speaking on behalf of the S&D (Socialists and Democrats) group) recalled that " our Malian friends had been calling on us Europeans for help for a year! And France was there when it was almost too late ". Louis Michel, speaking on behalf of Liberals and Democrats, warned: “ This war goes beyond Mali. We can't leave France alone. I am convinced that the cause is neither Malian nor Tuareg, but that it is explained more by movements like AQIM, Ansar Dine… outside Mali. The jihadists pulled the strings and played a sordid game ". For the former Belgian Foreign Minister, it is " high time for Europe to act with one voice and lay the foundations for a European army capable of projecting itself into situations such as that in Mali »
Sanogo a worrying character, elections as soon as possible in Mali
The one who is also the president of the assembly of ACP-EU countries also wanted to paint a portrait of some illusions in Mali.
- Captain Sanogo, the author of the February coup d'etat: it is " a disturbing character. The mandate entrusted to him (...) is dangerous. Because it puts him in contact with the military hierarchy. " It is necessary " particularly speed up the restructuring of the army ».
- AFISMA under UN mandate: Louis Michel is quite skeptical, evoking the heaviness of the organization and its inability in certain conflicts (Rwanda, Congo...) to act decisively. " The mandate given must allow strong interventions, with the use of coercion, to carry out make-keeping ».
- the Malian political process: it must be started as soon as possible. We must organize elections as quickly as possible and not leave the field to pointless explanations. The timetable proposed by the government is the correct one ».
