Brussels, 06/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - On Friday 8 October 2010, the committee of high-ranking officials responsible for EuroMed dialogue will start work on preparations for the EuroMed 'Summit' that is scheduled in theory for 21 November 2010 in Barcelona. The committee will be drafting the conclusions document for the summit that French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is co-chair of UfM (Union for the Mediterranean), says will focus on the Middle-East peace process.
The committee will be not be working in ideal conditions because its work will depend to a large degree on the outcome of the meeting of the Arab League on Thursday 7 October, which is due to decide on whether or not direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians should take place (see EUROPE 10227).
Most of the high-ranking officials' work will consist of preparing for the debates between all the UfM members and the EU institutions on the work programme and budget for the UfM general secretariat (based in Barcelona, see EUROPE 10221). The draft budget submitted by the secretary general, totalling €14.5 million, has been described as too high and is expected to be shorn to € 10 million. The work programme has also been described as too weighty, particularly as it goes beyond the mandate of the joint structure, which is supposed to be restricted to managing joint projects. It has therefore been suggested in Barcelona that a series of initiatives on politics or general cooperation (counter-terror, civil society and cultural dialogue) should be planned. The European Commission points out in a memorandum to the high-ranking officials' committee that the secretary general has powers solely to identity, monitor and promote tangible projects and seek financial partners. In line with the EuroMed rules of operation, a European Commission official has been given the task, at the Barcelona secretariat general, of advising and assisting the secretariat in its work and ensuring EU procedures are respected. Andres Bassols-Soldevilla began his work on 1 October 2010.
Ahead of the 8 October meeting, several countries sent a series of 'commentaries' to Brussels, the main recommendation of which is reported to be to keep the UfM secretariat general as a 'technical' body that does not become top-heavy. All the commentaries, which are from countries on the northern banks of the Mediterranean along perhaps with Syria and Lebanon, will be merged in a single document by the two co-presidencies. Experts from the two groups of countries worked on this combined document on Monday and Tuesday and the document is expected to be submitted to the November 'summit,' assuming it actually takes place. (F.B. trans fl)