Brussels, 20/04/2007 (Agence Europe) - The EU/Lebanon Association Council on Tuesday 24 April in Luxembourg will be looking at the functioning of the Association Agreement, which took effect on 1 April 2006, and at implementation of the action plan for the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) toward this country. An exchange of views will also be held on the Lebanese reform programme and on follow-up to the three international donor conferences. All subjects of common concern at political level (Middle East, Lebanese-Syrian relations, Iran, etc) will be discussed. The opinion in Brussels is that cooperation with this country remains hindered by internal and external political developments, mainly the summer 2006 war with Israel. Priority is placed on reconstruction of the country, more than on traditional cooperation that the EU hopes to promote, mainly through economic dialogue initiated in March this year and political dialogue under an ad hoc group on human rights, democracy and good government, which met on 12 April.
Relations with Lebanon remain focused on restoring the situation to normality, not only at internal level - constant dissension between the different political factions have made the country almost ungovernable, and the authority of the prime minister is questioned, with a parliament that is hardly able to function - and at external level, where relations with Syria and Israel largely dominate the life of the country and trouble its prospects for the future. In this context, the EU plans to reaffirm its “full support to the legitimate and democratic government of Prime Minister Siniora”. It calls for dialogue to be rekindled between the majority and opposition for the emergency of a “political platform” allowing the conditions for the formation of the international court to be defined following the assassination of the former primeminister, Hariri. The EU stresses that “a solution to the current political deadlock is of the utmost importance for the stability and development of Lebanon and in the interests of all Lebanese people. Such a solution should be sought only through dialogue and with full respect for the democratic institutions of the country. The EU encourages the majority and the opposition to pursue their efforts for a renewed dialogue and hopes that such efforts will lead, as rapidly as possible, to the definition of a common political platform encompassing, notably, an agreement on the setting-up of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon. The EU stresses the importance of renewing a national dialogue in order to tackle the deep-rooted problems of Lebanon. (…) The EU aims to overcome the current political deadlock in Lebanon”. This process should encompass the dissolution and the disarmament of all Lebanese and non-Lebanese militia and the restoration of government authority, the EU will be stressing, also reiterating its determination to strengthen the country's sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.
At cooperation level, the EU plans to restate its commitment towards Lebanon and welcomes the fact that partnership with Lebanon has “proven its value during the difficult times which Lebanon has gone through”. The next task will be that of supporting reforms without which reconstruction will have been a “missed opportunity”, the EU says. On Tuesday, the EU and Lebanon will take stock of measures envisaged for cooperation in all aspects, including political (justice, civil society, management of migratory flows, fight against terrorism and weapons of destruction. The EU will restate its wish for a denuclearised Middle East), and economic (reduction of the debt will be a priority just as questions linked to the management of public finance, trade facilitation, WTO membership and corporate support). Lebanon will also be encouraged to take part in Euro-Mediterranean bilateral and regional talks on services and the right of establishment. The EU will inform Lebanon of its wish that it should join the signatory countries of the Agadir Agreement, the first “south-south” initiative including Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt and Jordan, and also to encourage energy cooperation. Lebanon has been urged by Brussels to join the regional gas project and promote cooperation with its neighbours on electricity, transport, environment, health, information society and research. (fb)