The EU: Will Attend Trump's "Peace Council" Meeting, But Will Not Be a Member
AFP, Brussels, Monday, February 16, the EU announced that a commissioner from the European Commission will attend the first meeting of US President Trump's "Peace Council" in Washington, but the EU will not join the organization. Previously, France, Italy, and Norway had clearly refused to attend.
On Monday, a commissioner from the European Commission will attend the first meeting of the "Peace Council" initiated by Trump, but the EU will not join the organization. EU Commissioner for Mediterranean Affairs Dubravka Šuica will travel to Washington on Thursday, February 19, to attend the meeting and express the EU's position on the situation in Gaza.
"She will participate in the special discussion of the Peace Council on the issue of Gaza. But I would like to emphasize that the European Commission will not become a member of the Peace Council," said Guillaume Meseure, an EU spokesperson, to AFP.
The "Peace Council" led by US President Trump aims to end the war in the Gaza Strip, but its charter gives the organization broader goals, namely to resolve global armed conflicts. The permanent members of the council must pay a $1 billion membership fee, a regulation that has drawn criticism, with some calling it a "pay-to-play" version of the UN Security Council.
AFP noted that the EU emphasized at a press conference on Monday that there are still "several questions" about the organization, especially regarding its "scope of application", "governance", and compatibility with the UN Charter.
Before the EU's announcement, some countries had confirmed their attendance, such as Argentine President Javier Milei and the government led by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, but some countries have clearly refused, including France, Italy, Norway, the Czech Republic, and Croatia.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that the Italian constitution does not allow the country to join an organization led by a single leader, which is the case here with Trump serving as the head of the council.
In January this year, US President Trump announced the establishment of the "Peace Council" at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. According to the charter, this billionaire Republican holds almost all the power: only he has the right to invite other leaders of countries and can revoke their participation, unless "two-thirds of the members exercise a veto."
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1857297187210435/
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