Luxembourg, 31/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - The VIIth Euromed ministerial conference (EU plus ten Mediterranean third countries: Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Israel and Turkey) met in Luxembourg on 30 and 31 May for a whole day of separate meetings between the European Troika and Israel and with the group of Mediterranean Arab countries, centred on the programme for dismantling the Israeli colonies in Gaza. Chaired by the Luxembourg foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, with European Union High Representative for CFSP Javier Solana at his side and European External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the meeting grouped practically all his colleagues of the countries committed to the Barcelona process, including Silvan Shalom of Israel, Nasser Al-Kidwa of Palestine and Farouq Al-Sharaa of Syria. The future British Presidency, which will have the task of organising the 10th anniversary of the Euro-Mediterranean process in Barcelona, was represented by its minister for the Middle East, Kim Howells. Josep Borrell also took part in his capacity as president of the EMPA (Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly). Libya, with observer status, had delegated its deputy secretary for cooperation of the people's committee for external relations, and the Arab League its secretary general, Amr Moussa.
During the dinner on Monday evening, all ministers spoke of general political aspects, and especially the general situation in the Middle East and the prospect of Israeli withdrawal from Gaza. Discussion focused on the conditions for this withdrawal, and the Arab part hoped the EU would play a heightened role in accompanying the process (tasks of coordination, guarantees and support). Messrs Asselborn and Solana sought to reassure them and expressed the European determination to ensure respect of commitments taken in the context of the Roadmap and actions engaged at international level, especially under cover of the mission headed by James Wolfensohn, whom the Quartet entrusted with the task of closely following Israeli disengagement from Gaza, a mission in which officials of the European Commission are taking part. The EU is reported to have expressed the wish that Mr Sharon's government would not destroy houses left under evacuation. The Arab ministers have stressed the need for effective rekindling of the peace process, stressing that the final draft declaration more clearly marks the resolve to achieve peace. “Conditions in the region are very difficult”, the Syrian foreign minister stressed, also alluding to the pressures put on his country, especially by the United States. He paid tribute to the quality of the relationship between Damascus and the EU, to be sealed this autumn when the association agreement is signed. “Syria is not isolated”, Mr Al-Sharaa said in Luxembourg.
As the sitting opened, Jean Asselborn said the ministerial conference was to unfold at “a particularly important moment” in Euro-Mediterranean relations, which are “today at a crossroad” after having “gone through the most difficult moments”, when “our dialogue has never been interrupted”. In support of this, Javier Solana - who was Spanish foreign minister in November 1995 in Barcelona - also stressed this aspect saying that the Barcelona process, launched in the context of the Oslo Agreement, has a good chance of being launched in the current context (Roadmap and announced Israeli withdrawal from Gaza). Mr Asselborn believes the EuroMed process has above all deserved to be an “innovative concept which, in the post Cold War context and that of successive enlargements, should serve as a central instrument to consolidate our links of solidarity and accompany the major changes which have affected our region”. Both groups of countries “have the common ambition to raise, together, the major political, economic and social challenges that face the region”, the Council president asserted, noting that a report “without complacency” should be drawn up of what has been accomplished and lessons should be drawn for the future in order to ”redefine our actions and consolidate their scope”. The ten years of partnership “have not lived up to our expectations”, he admitted. “The glass is half full”, Ms Ferrero-Waldner avered. Mr Asselborn nonetheless considers that regular dialogue has triggered a form of institutionalisation of these relations in the context of the Barcelona process that the new Neighbourhood Policy does not bring into question. This policy does not replace the dialogue but aims to strengthen it thanks to the action plans negotiated in the institutional framework established by the association agreements, he repeated.
Before the session, Ms Ferrero-Waldner had reminded the press of her proposals in April aimed, in the context of a specifically European programme over five years, to give fresh vigour to the process by placing emphasis on education, the fight against illiteracy and training, on political dialogue intended to promote democracy, human rights and good governance, and on ways to ensure sustainable economic growth in the region. The Commissioner and the Council president both stressed the importance of creating the Anna Lindt Cultural Foundation, considered as a “decisive step” in the EuroMed process. The creation of a Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly (EMPA) is appropriate “as democratic legitimacy requires”, Mr Asselborn said. For the future, he says one must show proof of an increased political resolve to develop common responses to the political challenges of peace and democracy, and also the economic challenges, especially for enhancing South-South cooperation.
The EU and the Arab nations, however, held bitter negotiations over the terms of the final agreement, which lasted right until the last minute. Egypt, coordinating the Arab group, strongly challenged any reference to political reforms that the EU wants to promote in the region. Ahmed Abul Gheit made it absolutely clear to reporters and in formal meetings that political reforms are the sole responsibility of the partner countries in question and implementing political reform had to meet domestic agendas. He said, for example, that it would take more time in Egypt before an Action Plan could be drawn up. It is in the framework of such Action Plans that the Commission is hoping to establish a form of political criteria for the granting of further aid in line with progress on the political reform front, also referring to recently published recommendations on human development in the Arab World. A North African diplomat said he had the feeling the EU was now subscribing to the United States' agenda.
The meeting ended with consensus on the final declaration. Jean Asselborn stressed that this was the first time a common document had been published. The negotiations were very frank and direct but a the end of the day, most of the tangible measures on monitoring political reforms (observation of elections, freedom of the press, etc) were watered down and they will be the subject of further negotiation under the British Presidency ahead of a conference (probably a Summit) in Barcelona in November 2005 to mark the tenth anniversary of the Barcelona Process. The common declaration also referred to the holding of a regional conference on weapons of mass destruction and the Middle East. Javier Solana said that Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip must be followed by implementation of the Roadmap, meaning the 'entire Roadmap'.