EU Leaders Give Backing to Strikes in Afghanistan

Leaders of major European Union (EU) powers expressed their support for the U.S.-led military strikes against terrorist targets in Afghanistan, which started on Sunday in response to the attacks on New York and Washington last month.

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and French President Jacques Chirac were quick to express unreserved solidarity with the United States. Both France and Germany, along with Canada and Australia, have pledged to contribute to the military operation as it unfolds.

Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said his country would also be prepared to take part in military action, if so requested.

The EU as a whole also voiced strong backing for strikes. "The presidency of the European Union wishes to reaffirm its entire solidarity with the United States, the United Kingdom and the other countries engaged in these operations," Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt, whose country holds the presidency of the 15-nation EU, told reporters.

"The presidency has been informed that these operations are targeted and essentially directed against military communication centers, air defense installations and terrorist training camps and that innocent victims will be avoided," he said.

Verhofstadt noted that the U.S. and British strikes were not aimed at the Arab or Muslim worlds and stressed the urgency of humanitarian aid for the Afghan people and Afghan refugees.

"The action has the support of the European Union and the understanding of the European people," EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana said as he arrived in Luxembourg for an EU foreign ministers meeting on Monday. Solana told reporters a statement in support of the strikes is expected at the meeting.

Asked if European solidarity with the United States would continue even if the action lasted a very long time, Belgian Foreign Minister Louis Michel told television it would, if the response focused on military targets and terrorist camps.

"That conforms completely with the decision of the United Nations. At this stage I can only express the hope that American sobriety and prudence will continue," he said.

In a separate statement, European Commission President Romano Prodi said that Europe stood firm with the United States at the moment of unity.

(Xinhua News Agency 10/08/2001)