Mogherini pain forced her to interrupt Amman presser

By Dana Al Emam - Mar 23,2016 - Last updated at Mar 23,2016

EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini waves to a Syrian child who is carried by her mother during a visit to an informal refugee camp, in the eastern town of Bar Elias, in Bekaa valley, Lebanon, on Monday (AP photo)

AMMAN — EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said she was having "the toughest of days" during her visit to Amman on Tuesday.

Mogherini interrupted her joint press conference with Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh after bursting in tears upon learning of the terrorist attacks in Brussels on Tuesday morning, and wrote about the incident on her blog under the title "The toughest of days. Beyond sorrow, our work goes on".

"For the first time in my life, I showed my sorrow in public — in a press conference in Amman, a few minutes after receiving the terrible news of the attacks in Brussels," she wrote about the attacks that targeted Brussels airport and a metro station, leaving scores dead and many others injured.

"I am not used to sharing my feelings and emotions during official meetings: it is something I don’t like. But sometimes pain becomes evident, public," she said.

"We are humans, first and foremost. Beyond sorrow, though, we hold responsibilities," the official added. "And this is what really matters to me. Beyond tears — be they public or private — what really matters is every moment’s job to try and build solutions, pathways towards peace, alliances for our own security."

After the interrupted press conference, Mogherini said she decided to stay a few more hours in Amman to meet His Majesty King Abdullah and discuss means of creating stronger cooperation to counter terrorism, as well as "find the right words to prevent radicalisation of young Europeans, together with those who are passing the message of a peaceful Islam".

She expressed a desire "to meet the Syrian kids who might give in to terror, if they are left with no education and hope. To build a future for them. To build our own present".

Now back in Brussels, the official concluded her blog post with a commitment to intensify work to find a solution to the ongoing bloodshed.

"The work goes on — like before, more than before. And it goes on with one strong belief: we must find a solution to this war, in Syria and Europe. It is a war that is making us unable to live together in this world of ours."

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