Brussels, 15/10/14 (Agence Europe) - An “appeal for re-conceptualising Mediterranean policy” has been launched by a number of individuals. These include the former French Prime Minister, Alain Juppé, former Spanish foreign ministers, Miguel Angel Moratinos and Josep Piqué, the former director-general of the European Commission, Eneko Landaburu, as well as a number of figures from countries on the southern Mediterranean basin, particularly those from Morocco. These figures stated, “the time has come to implement a genuine European policy focusing on Mediterranean countries… at the time that European bodies are being renewed, it is imperative that a common future is contemplated”. These individuals also assert that, “it is now urgent to head to the south because our destinies are interlinked: economic crisis in the north and the process of transition in the south”.
The signatories of this appeal assert that, “although Europe has lacked and is lacking in ambition with regard to supporting these revolutions, it is partly because the two tools available are not adapted appropriately: the UfM (Union for the Mediterranean), which is suffering from institutional inertia, has not attained its objective, and neighbourhood policy, a Euro-centric conception, does not correspond to the needs of countries from the south”. They also affirm that, “Europe speaks about security but this is a problem that affects the north above all”. At the same time, Europe is not exclusively responsible for this dormancy, “southern and eastern Mediterranean countries also share responsibility for it”.
One observation will be made: the appeal should have been immediately expanded to figures from other countries in the zone and the fact that it is not proposing anything concrete apart from setting up reflection groups. Ultimately, it does not explicitly tackle the question of conflict with Israel, which is key to why closure has occurred rather than an opening up in the dialogue. This is taking place just when member states are audaciously daring to recognise the Palestinian state, such as Sweden, and the proposal made by the British parliament for this recognition. This recognition has already been made by countries from the former Eastern Bloc. (FB)