Strasbourg, 19/11/2003 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, presenting the programme of the sixth Euro-Mediterranean ministerial conference on 2 and 3 December in Naples, the president-in-office of the Council, Roberto Antonione, noted that many elements point toward qualitative rekindling of Euro-Mediterranean partnership: enlargement, the situation in the Middle East, the new EU neighbours policy, the need to strengthen defence of human rights and the need to reach public opinion. It is therefore necessary to carry out concrete measures, and to give the Barcelona Process the means and structures that will allow an impact to be made on the daily life of people, he said, citing three new instruments: - the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly; - the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation for dialogue between cultures and civilisations. (In Naples, Mr Antonione hopes, a decision will be taken on the seat); - and the new "institutional and operational physionomy" of the Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership Facility (FEMIP) in the context of the EIB (a matter of adjusting it better to the needs of the SME and private sector). The 35 Euro-Mediterranean partners will also discuss cooperation in security matters and the fight against terrorism, and will tackle the economic chapter (given the results of conferences on trade and agriculture as well as that on 1 and 2 December on investment and energy), the social and cultural chapter (mainly discussing a regional programme for good governance and balanced management of migratory policy). Mr Antonione recalled that the Forum of Civil Society would be meeting in Naples on the eve of the Conference. The Mediterranean area is particularly exposed to the main risks of the 21st century (terrorism, drugs, pollution, globalisation), which make it necessary to have solidarity with the countries of the region, Commissioner Günter Verheugen states. However, these countries must, themselves, say what they are hoping for, hence the importance of dialogue at every level. Mr Verheugen, also, trusts that an agreement will be possible on the seat of the Foundation for intercultural dialogue - whether in Rome, La Valetta or Alexandria, he said.
Speaking for the EPP/ED Group, Francesco Fiori (Forza Italia) said Europe owes the Mediterranean countries a little "mea culpa". Pasqualina Napoletano (DS), on behalf of the Socialist Group, is still more critical. The "free trade" dimension has been over-privileged, Ms Napoletano said, insisting that it is necessary to break the perverse "terrorism/war" cycle, but also that of "terrorism/consolidation of authoritarian regimes". Without a solution to the Middle East conflict, there can be no Euro-Mediterranean dialogue, Yasmine Boudjenah said on behalf of the GUE/NGL. She calls for the Union to be present at the signing of the agreement in Geneva between Palestinians and Israeli opponents, on 1 December. Speaking in French, on behalf of Greens/EFA, Miquel Mayol i Raynal, who is Catalan, spoke of the disenchantment (or "desensis" in Catalan) regarding the sparse progress made in the Barcelona Process. In our individualistic society which goes on refining the rights of individuals ad infinitum, one should not forget collective rights, he added, recalling the rights of a people, the Western Saharans, and calling on the Union for it to demand that Morocco respect these rights. Many other Spanish deputies took the floor. Jorge Salvador Hernandez Mollar (EPP/ED) raised the issue of illegal immigration ("an almost daily tragedy along the coast of Andalucia"). Anna Terron i Cusi (PES) spoke of the same issue but in another tone, insisting on the "cultural and humane" aspects. Carles Alfred Gasoliba i Böhm (ELDR) felt it was vital to encourage the private sector. French national Marie-Arlette Carlotti (PES) called, for his part, for a real "Marshall Plan for the Mediterranean". Integration of the Mediterranean area will be "the stake over the next thirty years", she exclaimed, considering that "another page in history is being turned, and on that page there is the Mediterranean".