24/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - ALDE helps set up leaders' alliance. On Sunday 23 September, the Arab Leaders for Freedom and Democracy network held its inaugural session with the assistance of the ALDE group at the European Parliament, its first international partner. This organisation includes nine members and brings together Egyptian, Libyan, Jordanian, Tunisian, Palestinian, Lebanese and Syrian political leaders who are determined for the Arab Spring and its aspirations to succeed. Edward McMillan-Scott MEP explained that, “this alliance of Arab Leaders for Freedom and Democracy is a very important step in the direction of democracy and good governance. It makes each one of the members stronger as they will learn from each others' ideas, policies, successes and failures”. ALDE President Guy Verhofstadt from Belgium described the meeting as “historic” and emphasised that this network would be “a contact point for Europe in order to understand what is going on in the Arab region and what needs to be done”. (CG/trans/fl)