Italian MPs OK arming Kurds as Renzi visits Iraq

(ANSA) - Rome, August 20 - Italy's parliament on Wednesday backed Premier Matteo Renzi's move to send military aid to Iraqi Kurds fighting an offensive by fundamentalist Islamic State (ISIS) militia in the country's north as the premier himself met with Iraqi and Kurdish leaders as well as refugees in Baghdad and Erbil.
    Now that parliament has approved the resolution, Italian-supplied weapons including anti-tank rockets, automatic weapons, machine guns and ammunition 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, adding that Italy will respect Iraq's sovereignty and make sure any weapons deliveries happen under Baghdad's supervision.
    "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," said the 39-year-old premier, who went on to compare ISIS atrocities in Iraq and neighboring Syria to the 1995 Srebrenica genocide in the former Yugoslavia. "At the time, many in my generation said 'Never again'," the premier said just before leaving Erbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.
    "Europe cannot afford to remain silent this time, because this battle is in the very heart of Europe".
    Later on Wednesday, Italian national security authorities issued an alert for possible terrorist attacks on "sensitive targets" after receiving unspecified "threats" in relation to Italy's military aid to Iraq. The potential targets include embassies, places of worship, stations, ports, airports, and travel agencies, officials said.