Brussels, 04/11/2013 (Agence Europe) - All the Arab ambassadors in Cairo, the permanent representatives of their countries to the Arab League, have been invited to Brussels on 5-6 November by the European External Action Service (EEAS) for an information visit and talks concentrating on Euro-Arab cooperation - including on the European security and defence policy. A meeting with the European Political and Security Committee (PSC) will take place on 6 November, EUROPE has learned from a reliable source.
The EU and the Arab League have re-opened their dialogue and regular contact has taken place between the Arab League Secretariat General and the EEAS. An initial meeting was organised in Malta on 11-12 February 2008, but it was not as successful as expected due to the very low number of participants. A second meeting took place in Cairo in November 2012. The Palestinian issue remains the main obstacle to the two sides moving closer together, despite their agreement on Syria.
“Concrete projects” are reportedly planned. The EU is capitalising on its experience of collaborating with the Commission of the African Union in order to propose cooperation on conflict prevention. (FB/transl.fl)