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Air bridge for sick Iraqi kids
17/04/2003 19:00 - (SA)
Athens - The European Commission said Thursday it had begun preparations to set up an "air bridge" in collaboration with the Red Cross to fly wounded Iraqi children to hospitals in Europe as soon as possible.
Commission president Romano Prodi said European Union member states had agreed proposals by the EU's executive arm for an air bridge for the most seriously wounded.
"So with the Red Cross and other humanitarian organisations, we are preparing this air bridge so that we can act immediately and more intensively inside Iraq, and allow these seriously injured Iraqi children to be transported to hospitals in Europe or those closest to the region," he said.
Prodi was speaking at a news conference after two days of EU talks in Athens which committed the 15-nation bloc "to play a significant role in the political and economic reconstruction" of Iraq.
The airlift plan was announced on Wednesday evening by French President Jacques Chirac, who said the European Commission would arrange the airlift in co-operation with "the occupying powers" - the United States and Britain.
Chirac said he had discussed the idea with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who was "favourable to this initiative".
Prodi, arguing "speed is indispensable", said the Commission had decided to act as Iraq's health system broke down in the days after the fall of Saddam Hussein.
He said it would be preferable to treat wounded children nearest their families in Iraq.
"But the news we have now... is that there are cases in which this is impossible," he added.
The Commission, which oversees EU aid projects, has begun channelling €21m ($23m) into Iraq in partnership with the International Committee of the Red Cross, and is hoping to release another €79m soon.
- AFX
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