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| EU condemns "death of innocent civilans"in Israeli air attack
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Javier Solana, the EU's foreign policy chief
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BRUSSELS (EJP)--- The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, has expressed his "profound dismay and deept sorrow" after more than 50 civilians were killed in an Israeli air attack on the village of Qana, in southern Lebanon on Sunday.
"Nothing can justify the death of innocent civilans," Solana said in a press release issued on Sunday.
Israel expressed regret over the civilian deaths in the Lebanese village but said it had warned residents to leave and laid the blame on Hezbollah for launching rockets from the area.
The Israelis added that it had had indications that the village was harbouring Hezbollah members when it launched the attack. More than half of those killed were reportedly children.
Solana said he spoke to the Prime Minister of Lebanon, Fouad Siniora. "I have transmitted to Mr Siniora that the European Union is continuously working to reach an immediate ceasefire," he said.
In a communiquethe EU’s External Relations and European neighbourhood policy commissioner, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said: "Israel’s attack on the city of Qana means an escalation of violence that is unjustifiable at a time when the international community is jointly working to find a solution to the conflict,"
"The immediate cessation of violence and hostilities is now more important than ever. The killing of innocent people, particularly of children, must stop now. We keep supporting UN Secretary General Kofi Annan in his efforts and approach to peace and call on all sides to restrain from further violence," she added.
Extraordinary discussions
EU foreign ministers are due to hold an extraordinary meeting in Brussels next Tuesday to assess the situation in southern Lebanon and prepare further EU action following the Rome conference on the conflict last Wednesday.
Finnish foreign minister Erkki Tuomija, who currently chairs the EU Council, and commissioner Ferrero-Waldner will report on their visit this week to the Middle East.
| The press release issued Sunday by the Finnish EU presidency on the Qana airstrike |
 The Presidency of the European Union is shocked and dismayed by the Israeli air strikes on the southern Lebanese town of Qana. There is no justification for attacks causing casualties among innocent civilians, most of whom were women and children. The fact that the residents had been warned and called upon to leave the area does not justify this tragic event as Israel had rejected the 72-hour cessation of hostilities called for by the UN to open the way for safe evacuation of civilians from southern Lebanon. The Presidency reiterates its call for an immediate cessation of hostilities. The Council of the European Union will address at its extraordinary meeting on 1 August all the steps necessary to put an end to the conflict, including a political settlement and the international forces to be deployed to support a permanent cease-fire. 
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Solana will also gives his assessment following his recent talks and contacts in the region.
The Rome conference participants – several EU foriegn ministers, US secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and UN Secretary general Kofi Annan, as well as Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt - expressed their determination to work to reach a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah but failed to call immediately for such a ceasefire.
They endorsed the idea of the deployment of an international peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. The EU has expressed his readiness to play a substantive role in contributing to such a force.
Livni appeals to France
In an interview published this weekend in the French daily Le Figaro, Israeli foreign, minister Tzipi Livni said she was in favour of an international force to help Lebanon apply UN Security Council resolution 1559 which calls for Hezbollah to be disarmed. She appealed on France to play a major role in implementing the UN resolution on the ground.
According to Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema The European Union should engage Syria and Iran "in an active and positive manner in the search of a solution" to conflicts in Lebanon,
In an interview with daily Le Monde in its Friday edition, D’Alema said: "It is important that Syria and Iran help us to resolve the problems."
Neither Israel, nor Iran, nor Syria were present at the Rome conference.
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