Cairo, 17/10/2002 (Agence Europe) - European External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten held talks early this week in Cairo with President Hosni Mubarek and members of the government. The aim of this visit to Egypt and then to Jordan, in addition to examining cooperation with each of these countries in the context of implementing association agreements (the agreement with Egypt has still not been ratified), is in order to exchange views on the situation in the Middle East. Mr Patten said that he had spoken with President Mubarek not only on the situation in the Middle East but also on that in Iraq, states the local press, affirming that Mr Patten regretted that Israel does not comply with international law: "Israel does not conform to several resolutions of the UN Security Council", he said, declaring he was "shocked by the magnitude of the social and economic problems facing the population in Palestinian territories". (See yesterday's EUROPE, p.4, for his remarks on Iraq).
In Jordan, talks with King Abdallah II were on the same subjects. Mr Patten signed, in Amman, agreements on EUR 92 million being granted by the EU to Jordan to encourage the country's economic reforms. It is specified from Jordanian sources in Amman that EUR 60 million will be used to support structural adjustment initiatives, particularly for fiscal and pension reforms. Another EUR 20 million is allocated to help the implementation of the agreement, EUR 10 million to support the development of the Aqaba Special Economic Zone and EUR 2 million will fund human rights organisations. Mr Patten also signed, in Amman, with the UNRWA (United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestinian refugees), a protocol of agreement for the granting of aid of EUR 55 million in 2002, in the context of assistance totalling EUR 237 million until 2005.