Brussels, 22/01/2009 (Agence Europe) - The Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly's (EMPA) political committee set for 28 January in Brussels has been postponed due to the announced absence of all Arab countries. Egypt is responsible for ensuring coordination of this group of countries and indicated in a letter sent to Brussels that in the prevailing context in the Middle East, all joint meetings in the Euro-Med dialogue have now been postponed. Egypt's approach adopted in the EMPA case was backed by a letter from the president of the Jordanian parliament, who is also EMPA vice president.
This decision resulted in the cancellation of the meeting for Wednesday 21 January, where discussions on the EMPA internal regulation and funding of its activities were due to be continued. At a level of meetings on the EuroMed dialogue itself, meetings have already been cancelled, particularly those on establishing a statute for the secretary general of the UfM (Union for the Mediterranean) and trade. Nothing so far indicates when and under what conditions work will be able to resume. (F.B./transl.rh)