Italy's parliament on Wednesday backed Premier Matteo Renzi's move to send military aid to Iraqi Kurds fighting Islamic State (ISIS) militia in the country's north as the premier himself was in Baghdad, obtaining the Iraqi government's consent to such aid.
Now that parliament has approved the resolution, Italian-supplied weapons including anti-tank rockets and light automatic weapons could be in the hands of Kurdish forces "within days," Defence Minister Roberta Pinotti said.
"Prior planning" by the government means that organizing transfers of weapons via air and sea "is already in progress and may be finalized in the next few days," the minister said.
European foreign ministers decided last Friday to accept urgent requests from Kurdish authorities for weapons, subject to the consent of Iraqi national authorities.
Indeed, Iraqi Premier-designate Haider al-Abadi issued a call for help after meeting with his Italian counterpart.
"We hope the European Union will help us fight this war against terrorist groups," Abadi said.
"Europe will not turn its back on Iraq," the Italian premier said during his brief mission to Baghdad.
"Anyone who thinks Europe is about to turn its back on the ongoing slaughter in Iraq...has gotten the wrong forecast or the wrong semester," said Renzi, who is representing the European Union during Italy's six-month duty presidency.
"Europe is not just about (interest rate) spreads and rules," the Italian premier tweeted on his @matteorenzi account.
"It was born to defend...human dignity. That's why we are here today #Erbil". Back home, Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini earlier told parliament ISIS is "a threat not only to Iraq but to the entire region, to Europe, and to the world at large".
"It is our political and moral duty to respond to (this) humanitarian crisis," the minister said. "The lives of Christian, Yazidi and Muslim civilians are at risk". The EU is united on the need to arm the Kurds, and the only differences lie in the logistical capabilities of each country, Mogherini told a joint foreign affairs and defense committee session of some 100 MPs, who returned from holiday to vote on the government's military aid resolution.
"This is why the choice on how much to contribute to the military effort is left up to each member State," Mogherini said.
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