26/02/2010 (Agence Europe) - The French co-presidency of the UfM (Union for the Mediterranean) was surprised, when reading our article (EUROPE 10085), that the president of the committee on foreign affairs of the EP and the EP rapporteur Vincent Peillon (S&D, France) had publicly commented on the co-presidency's absence from the hearing and on that of the secretary general designate. "We were not informed of this hearing until very late on, just 48 hours before it happened", the services of Henri Guaino point out. The French ambassador, Serge Telle, was that day in Beirut, where, according to the latest news reports, he obtained the agreement of the Lebanese to grant Israel the education and technology portfolio within the secretariat general of the UfM. Turkey and Cyprus are believed to have agreed not to block each other and unless there is any last-minute opposition, the statutes of secretariat general of the UfM will be considered adopted on Monday. (F.B./transl.fl)