BRUSSELS, March 20: As the US-led coalition continued its assault on Iraq, European Union leaders meeting for a two-day summit on Thursday were set to focus on Iraq’s humanitarian plight.

Diplomats said the 15 nation bloc, whose leaders are bitterly divided over the Iraq war, would sidestep discussions of the conflict and instead focus on the plight of Iraqi civilians.

“This is not the moment to solve all the differences we might have,” said EU security chief Javier Solana, adding: “This is the time to help the people of Iraq.”

Solana predicted leaders would agree on three key points regarding Iraq: humanitarian aid, preserving Iraq’s territorial integrity and a central post-war role for the United Nations.

“These are the issues where all 15 leaders can agree,” said an EU diplomat. America too would welcome European help in helping Iraqis because “this is not something they can do on their own,” he added.

While the European public is adamantly against the American intervention in Iraq, EU governments are split into pro and anti-war blocs. Britain and Spain are in the vanguard of nations which back Washington while France and Germany oppose the use of force to disarm Iraq.

The EU “has been a house divided against itself,” said European Parliament President Pat Cox, adding: “And a house divided against itself diminishes itself.”

European Commission President Romano Prodi appealed for the healing process to begin: “It is time to draw the lessons from this crisis. Europe can make an effective contribution to peace in the world only its nations pull together....”

Preparing for what many fear will be a serious humanitarian crisis in Iraq, European Development Commissioner Poul Nielson announced 21 million euros ($22.3 million) in emergency aid and said a further 100 million euros would be needed rapidly.

Meanwhile NATO said it had put its forces in Turkey on high alert to give troops greater powers to defend Ankara in case of Iraqi aggression. Turkey is the only member of NATO to share a border with Iraq.

NATO agreed last month to supply Turkey with AWACS early warning planes as well as Patriot anti-missile systems and chemical and biological defence units. But the forces and equipment are on on a purely defensive stance and not involved in the US-led coalition waging the Iraq war.