Brussels, 27/05/2004 (Agence Europe) - An agreement was obtained on Wednesday at Coreper (Permanent Representatives Committee of the EU) for renewing negotiations with Syria. Negotiations aiming to conclude the final pending association agreement with the Mediterranean country stalled on the drafting of a text which would compel Syria to not acquire not produce weapons of mass destruction. The proposed text has not until now gained the approval of three Member States: United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands. The formula found on Wednesday, encourages Damascus to abide by specific international conventions and was approved by Coreper members. The decision means that contacts with the Syrian government will be renewed but no dates have been mentioned. The Syrian minister for foreign affairs, however, declared in a Euromed ministerial fringe meeting in Dublin that his county would prefer all countries in the region to act in unison with the EU to make the Mediterranean a zone free of weapons of mass destruction.
Now a general condition
The condition imposed on Syria is not just specific to the country, explained Community sources. The same commitment now figures in the conditions posed in the conclusion of agreements between the EU and third countries. Other countries in the Mediterranean did not have to make this commitment, a commitment which was developed after the outbreak of the war in Iraq. Exchanges of letters will allow for countries to gradually progress in this direction.
This issue was raised with Libya, which was invited to make such a commitment in a letter (still awaited in Brussels) in which Tripoli also had to formally agree to the entire EuroMed process. Together with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, the request again made by the EU almost led to an impasse but a solution was found for getting rid of this obstacle at the last minute. During the joint ministerial Council on 17 May, the EU and the GCC therefore declared that they would "strengthen their cooperation in this area by all available means and in compliance with specific international conventions" (EUROPE 19 May p 8). Gulf countries also underlined that their accession to these international conventions should be enough for proving their commitment and it will not be necessary to add another text to the agreement, especially one on trade. ACP countries were also confronted with such a demand during a recent joint Council of ministers in Gaborone and they also disapproved of such an approach (EUROPE 7 May p 9). The recent Arab summit in Tunis also responded to this European and international request. Arab leaders considered that the "accomplishment of legitimate objectives naturally includes conditions that are likely to produce trust and the establishment of a just, sustainable and global peace in the region, though the organisation of an international conference to get rid of weapons of mass destruction from the Middle East including those held by Israel". Morocco has just submitted an own initiative document to members of the treaty on nuclear non-proliferation who are preparing a conference in 2005, which calls on all parties to abstain from the production or storage of such weapons in the region on the basis of reciprocity". Partner countries will therefore not have to act unilaterally to refrain from stocking such dangerous weapons. Morocco would like to make the treaty into a "legal instrument", which is considered "crucial in the context of the international situation that emerged following the events of 11 September 2001". Subsequently, Rabat, in a reference to the UN demand of 1995 on disarmament in the Arab Middle East, is calling on all parties to the treaty to make the Mediterranean a nuclear weapon-free zone. Israel, the only nuclear power in the region is expected to be invited to become party to the treaty in accordance with the Moroccan initiative.