France, Germany urge swift EU humanitarian aid in Iraq
(PARIS) - The leaders of France and Germany called Tuesday for the European Union to swiftly lend its weight to the humanitarian effort to help refugees in Iraq fleeing Islamic State militants.
In a joint statement, President Francois Hollande and Chancellor Angela Merkel said they wanted the EU to "participate as quickly as possible in the humanitarian operation under way to help the civilian population facing the acts of violence of Islamic State."
The leaders' comments came as EU envoys met in Brussels for an emergency meeting on the Iraq crisis.
Over the weekend, France delivered some 18 tonnes of humanitarian aid in Iraq. Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius announced earlier Tuesday that Paris would send a further 20 tonnes in the next two days.
Further deliveries would follow, Fabius pledged.