COMECE: "NOW THE DOOR IS OPEN FOR THE EU’S TAKING IN 10 THOUSAND IRAQI REFUGEES" (2)

"Now, the member states – states Mazurkiewicz – should take the joint responsibility for accomplishing the goal that has been laid down by the conclusions of the Council, i.e. the European Union’s taking in about 10 thousand particularly vulnerable refugees in 2009". At the same time, the secretary of Comece makes an appeal to the EU and its member states to "raise – in their contacts with the Iraqi Government – the key issue of protecting the Christian community, which is now disappearing, and the other religious minorities". In November 2007, the bishops of Comece had already made an appeal to the EU and its member states to reach an agreement, as soon as possible, about taking in a higher number of Iraqi refugees, given their desperate condition – especially Christians, defined as "extremely vulnerable" by the Unhcr. Since then, the prelates have consistently followed the developments of the situation, and, during their Autumn plenary meeting n November 12th, they received a report from Commissioner Jacques Barrot about that issue. Hence Comece’s wish that "the high-level meeting" convened in The Hague today and tomorrow "may at last enable the EU member states to find an effective, coordinated response to the situation of the Iraqi refugees".