Brussels, 14/11/2008 (Agence Europe) - An EU delegation and a Libyan delegation comprising Abdulati Elobeidi, secretary of state for European affairs, and Mohamed Tahar Siala, deputy secretary at the Libyan General Popular Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation, officially entered negotiations in Brussels on Thursday 13 November 2008, on a framework agreement but without prejudging the form that any future agreement would take. EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner officially opened the talks, saying: 'This is the moment that we have long awaited' because 'Libya is the only country of the Mediterranean with which the EU has so far no contractual relations whereas we share with Libya many common interests in the political and the economic areas.' She said that the EU was very keen to establish a clear, lasting legal framework in order to reinforce dialogue and cooperation with Libya. The Council has given the European Commission an extensive negotiating mandate, she said, which is proof that the EU wants to reach as ambitious a deal as possible with Libya covering domains like political dialogue, trade, energy, immigration and the environment. The Commissioner said she was confident that EU-Libyan relations would be crowned by a happy outcome, as would Libya's role in the international community.
The Libyan negotiators set out their country's priorities. Energy, immigration, visa policy and counter-terrorism. These are issues that concern us all, they said, noting that Libya preferred to consolidate its international position through a step-by-step opening of accession talks with the World Trade Organisation.
The negotiating mandate adopted by the EU's Justice and Home Affairs Council on 24 July 2008 is wide in scope and the talks that started on Thursday will determine both the framework and the content of cooperation between the EU and Libya. The negotiating guidelines foresee in broad terms the establishment of political dialogue and cooperation in foreign policy and security issues, the setting up of as comprehensive and extensive free trade zone as possible and the introduction of cooperation in key areas of common interest, like energy, transport, immigration, visas, justice and domestic affairs, along with the environment, maritime policy, fisheries, education and public health. (F.B. trans fl)