Brussels – The European Union is “ready to contribute in every way possible to ease the situation and facilitate a return to the negotiating table.” This is what emerges from the joint statement by European Council President Antonio Costa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen following the videoconference with the thirteen governments of the Persian Gulf and Middle East countries affected by tensions between the United States, Israel, and Iran. “Although the rules-based international order is now under pressure, we firmly believe that dialogue and diplomacy are the only viable way forward,” the joint statement continued.
During the videoconference, European leaders reiterated their condemnation of Iran’s indiscriminate attacks and expressed their “full solidarity with the peoples of the region”, insisting on greater “commitment to territorial stability” and calling for “the protection of civilians and full respect for international humanitarian law and the obligation to comply with the principles of the United Nations Charter”. The two EU presidents also recalled the importance of the defensive operations of Aspides and Atalanta, which aim to “protect critical shipping lanes and prevent any disruption to vital supply chains.”
There is particular concern for Lebanon and the escalation that has led to “a serious impact on civilians, triggering large-scale displacement,” for which von der Leyen and Costa stressed “the need for the protection of civilians and respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity”. In this context, President von der Leyen announced the mobilisation of ReliefEU,
the European Emergency Response Instrument, which can be activated by partners and humanitarian organisations, to support around 130,000 people in Lebanon, with a first flight scheduled for tomorrow (10 March).
Leaders from the region shared their analysis of the situation in their countries and the wider region, explained the impact of attacks on energy infrastructure and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on global energy security, and explored ways to strengthen cooperation with Middle Eastern partners to mitigate these risks.
Representing the countries in the region were King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein of Jordan, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa of Bahrain, Prime Minister and current President of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ Al-Sudani, Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani, Kuwaiti Prime Minister Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates Saif bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, and Omani Foreign Minister Sayyed Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
