'The EU needs to strenghten its cooperation with the Arab countries to counter terrorism', says Mogherini
EU needs to strengthen its cooperation to counter-terrorism not only internally but also with the Arab countries, said EU foreign policy chief Federia Mogherini as she chaired Monday in Brussels a meeting of EU foreign ministers focusing on terrorism in the wake of the recent terror attacks in Paris.
Before the start of the ministerial meeting, Mogherini met with the Secretary General of the Arab League, Nabil El Araby, ‘’as the threat is not only the one we faced in Paris but also spreading in many other parts of the world starting with Muslim countries,’’ she said.
‘’Interior Ministers and Foreign Affairs Ministers will have discussion about that and we need to share information more, we need to cooperate more also among Member States on the security level and we'll discuss that with EU Home Affairs Commissioner Avramopoulos,’” she added.
‘’I've always said it is not an issue between Europe or the West and Islam. Terrorism and terrorist attacks are targeting most of all Muslims in the world so we need an alliance, we need a dialogue there to face the issue together’’ said Mogherini.
She also expressed the need ‘’to take full responsibility for what we do and what we say’’. ‘’I think that respect is also one of the main core values of the European Union. Drawing the line between the freedom of expression and respect has always been one of the main philosophical dilemmas, but I think we need to look at that very carefully these days as we see what is happening in many parts of the world. What we need to do is face terrorism while respecting Islam,’’ she said.
Hundreds of paratroopers have been deployed in Belgium to guard possible terrorism targets, including Jewish sites in Antwerp and Brussels and EU buildings, NATO and embassies in Brussels, following last week’s raids on an Islamist cell in the country.
by Yossi Lempkowicz