Brussels, 02/12/2009 (Agence Europe) - Egyptian Foreign Affairs Minister Ahmad Aboul Gheit, who was received for a hearing by the committee on foreign affairs of the European Parliament and the Parliamentary delegation for relations with Mashrek, reported on both the Middle East peace process and recent developments with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). After a short briefing, the floor was thrown open to the MEPs, who asked many questions about relations with Israel and the Palestinians and, more generally, the UfM, Iran and Afghanistan.
Raimon Obiols (S&D), reacting to the assurances given by Mr Aboul Gheit regarding the UfM, said that the envisaged structures appeared "vulnerable" and he called for a "clear definition of the links" between the Barcelona process and the one which certain speakers said should no longer be called the peace process, given the general situation of stalemate and poor prospect of peace. The minister took pains to reassure his audience, stating that further to a meeting in Paris last Sunday with Mr Kouchner and Mr Moratinos, a decision had been made to speed up the setting in place of the secretariat. "As usual, the decisions are made by closed committees", an Arab diplomat present at the hearing told us, intimating that the position on adopting the statutes of the UfM and the appointment of a secretary general may be postponed until January, from 14 December as currently scheduled.
The former president of the European Parliament, Hans-Gert Pöttering (EPP, Germany), said that in order to break the deadlock in the Israeli-Arab conflict, it is time for the UN to get more involved but, he added, "we will not allow Israel's safety to be jeopardised". The minister was also asked about the efforts made by his country at inter-Palestinian reconciliation. He appears to have lost no hope of success on the issue, even though the situation on the ground appears to be at deadlock, with the risk of entering a phase of "illegitimacy" for the Palestinian Authority. He also criticised Israel for its prevarication in negotiations on exchanges of prisoners, with regard to which he hopes to see things becoming slightly easier in relations with Hamas.
On the subject of the recent Swiss referendum against minarets, the minister said that its results were an "affront" to the Muslim community of Switzerland and elsewhere and shows that Swiss society is not "open". He particularly regrets this against a backdrop of increasing discourse on the dialogue of civilisations and cultures.
Another Arab diplomat lamented the fact that the first Arab foreign affairs minister to visit Brussels since the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty did not see fit to extend his congratulations on behalf of the Arab community. (F.B./transl.fl)