Brussels, 03/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - France, which initiated the UfM (Union for the Mediterranean) - the co-presidency of which was given to the EU (Catherine Ashton) last March - intends to remain active and play a key role in the development process, despite the fragile situation. “It is the challenge of the Arab Spring, now that the political formations which claim to adhere to Islam commit to guaranteeing liberties, especially those of women, to respecting alternation, to protecting minorities, be they cultural or religious. It is up to these countries which are working for transition to demonstrate it, and it is up to us to encourage the movement, without distrust, but with vigilance”, Francois Hollande said at the annual conference of ambassadors of his country on 28 August. The uncertainty is inevitable due to “the permanence of the conflicts - regulation of which is postponed each day like in the Middle East.”
“France has long had an ambition for the Mediterranean - that it might be a place of cooperation and not of tension”, he said. He called for a “union of projects” and for a “Mr Mediterranean” to be appointed to support the process from day to day. “I want the competences of the secretariat for the Union for the Mediterranean to be better used, with the commitment of the European Union and particularly of the Commission” because, he said, “we must do it with Europe”. He also mentioned the financial commitments under the Deauville Partnership. This “good initiative, can enable us to better accompany the development of the countries in political transition”.
On this he gives assurances that he “is paying particular attention to cooperation with the countries of the Maghreb, including in what is known as the 5+5 Group and which will allow the dialogue to be re-started”. The ministers of the 5+5 will meet in Malta at the beginning of October.
In the opinion of Hollande, who denies the risk of abandonment of the Euro-Mediterranean project, perceived as a creation of Nicolas Sarkozy, “there are, between the two shores of the Mediterranean, numerous complementarities. In a pragmatic way, we can thus envisage an effective control of immigration, improve professional and academic exchanges, help the public administration of these countries to modernise and then also encourage exchanges between business circles” (our translation throughout).
The same day, the secretary general of the UfM, Fathallah Sijilmassi, who was the guest of honour at the conference of the ambassadors of France, had talks with Laurent Fabius. He told the head of French diplomacy about the priorities and state of play of the cooperation projects implemented under the UfM (the Gaza desalination factory, Maghreb motorways and university projects). (FB/transl.fl)