Brussels, 09/06/2008 (Agence EUROPE) -The Mediterranean Forum (FORMED), which is made up of 11 countries from the northern and southern shores of the Mediterranean basin (including six members of the EU: Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Malta and Greece), meeting in Algiers on 5-6 June, provided the opportunity for an examination of preparations for the "summit" of 13 July on the creation of the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM). The Slovenian Presidency of the EU was invited to this 15th session of the forum. The "overwhelming majority" of the countries of the southern shore called for "more clarifications" on the UfM, out of concern that Europe will "monopolise the decision", Algerian Foreign Affairs Minister Mourad Medelci told a press conference, admitting that " there have been beginnings of answers, but more efforts are needed to reach a unified vision of this project".
The main thing that the countries are calling for is the need for parity and co-responsibility to be taken into account - a lack of which, they feel, constitutes the main shortcoming with the Barcelona process. The "concept (...) must translate operationally", said the minister and president-in-exercise of FORMED. According to the Algerian press agency APS, he went on to announce that discussions are scheduled "for the coming days, at Maghreb, Arab and Mediterranean level, on all of these questions". In another framework, Latifa Akharbach, Moroccan Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, confirmed in Tangiers on 6 June that "the Mediterranean of our legitimate dreams and ambition needs a unified Maghreb and a peaceful Middle East". However, the Maghreb positions vary on the basis of who the Europeans are speaking to and in particular President Sarkozy, with the permanent backdrop of rivalry between Algeria and Morocco. "Nicolas Sarkozy promises the earth wherever he goes", the Moroccan press observes. In any case and on the basis of the state of play with talks, the Algerian and Libyan presidents do not intend to be present at the "summit" of 13 July in Paris. Overall, at the Forum, the countries of the southern shore have expressed pressing demands for clarification, including on the structure of the UfM (secretariat in particular). According to the Maghreb press, the neighbouring Arab countries have also "called for 'clarifications' on Israel's involvement in the UfM". The same sources claim that Algeria has "reserved its accession to the project", quoting the head of Algerian diplomacy, who stressed that as the member countries of the future UfM have no relations with Israel, they should not be "obliged to take part in joint projects" with that state within the UfM. He added that "it is not up to the UfM to normalise (relations) between Israel and the Arab countries, which the Barcelona process did not succeed in doing (...). The process of normalisation with Israel is the subject of another debate" between Arab countries. (F.B./transl. fl)