Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio told
his EU counterparts in Slovenia Friday that the Union should
support countries neighbouring Afghanistan as they struggle to
cope with refugees, while fighting a possible resurgence in
terrorism in the region.
Di Maio said he would shortly carry out a tour of the
neighbouring countries.
"In the next few hours I will travel to Qatar and Uzbekistan,
Tajikistan, and Pakistan, on a mission," he told the other
foreign ministers.
"We need agreed action on the front of assistance and
development and humanitarian aid.
"We must support the neighbouring countries which are already
facing Afghan migratory pressure.
"We are ready to earmark for assistance the resources which were
previously dedicated to the Afghan security forces."
Di Maio went on to say that "the fight against terrorism is
another priority.
"We must work with the major international actors and guarantee
that the Taliban respect their commitment to stop any terrorist
group operating in the country."
Di Maio also said the EU needed a policy on migration with
targeted resources ranging from Afghanistan to the central
Mediterranean route where Italy bears the brunt of arrivals.
"The EU has the moral and political duty to lend its
humanitarian assistance to Afghan refugees in a cohesive way,"
said the Italian FM.
"Humanitarian intervention in favour of countries neighbouring
Kabul should find funding among the programmes of humanitarian
intervention.
"The resources that will be mobilized for migrant policies in
Afghanistan and the neighbouring countries must be inserted into
the context of a broad EU migratory policy that is able to meet
the needs of all the migratory routes, including that of the
central Mediterranean".
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