Brussels, 10/06/2008 (Agence Europe) - The EuroMed Committee, which is made up of high ranking officials and ambassadors and is responsible for following up the Barcelona process, met on Monday morning for a two-day meeting in Portoroz, Slovenia. The agenda centred largely on exchanges of view on recent activities and those scheduled for the coming weeks. Preparations for the “summit” of 13 July to set up a Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) have no more prominence than the other points. The first day was devoted, as is customary, to political dialogue, i.e. to exchanges of view and analyses of the situation in the region. The secretary General of the Arab League, who was scheduled to take part, was not present. Algeria will inform the meeting of the outcome of the recent Mediterranean Forum (see EUROPE 9678), which focused on the way that the “Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean” project, and proposals for how it should be structured and what it should contain, are viewed by partner countries. Reservations expressed at that meeting of the 11 Mediterranean rim states will complement those from the discussions between
ministers from neighbouring Arab countries on 24 May in Cairo. The acting president of this group of countries appealed to them to outline their position in view of this meeting. A summary document was drawn up and discussed on Sunday night in Portoroz between neighbouring Arab countries. According to our information, it would appeal that the name, “Union for the Mediterranean” is being opposed because it implies the existence of a relationship that it too strong between all the countries associated with it. One diplomat from this group of countries affirmed that, “we are unable to envisage a Union with Israel”. Other points of view were raised in this summary document that focused on the modalities for appointing a Secretary General and general secretariat on the basis of the joint structure the European Commission is proposing to create. It also appears that the countries in this group do not agree between themselves on what mandate should be conferred to the structures that will be created. (F.B./trans.rh)