Brussels, 09/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - Libya and the European Commission will, on Tuesday 10 February, resume negotiations on an agreement, the contents of which have not yet been clearly announced. The talks will be chaired by External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner who will arrive in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Tuesday for two days of talks on Euro-Libyan cooperation, especially on issues related to emigration.
The formal negotiations follow on from the technical level talks of 12 November and the more formal negotiations of 13 November. The European Commission's essentially exploratory negotiating mandate, which was approved on 25 July 2008, sets the objective of setting up a framework agreement built on three pillars: general cooperation and political and economic dialogue, trade and JHA-related issues (immigration, visas, etc).
This would appear to be a modest objective compared with commitments with neighbouring countries as a whole and given that Libya can benefit from all aspects of Euro-Mediterranean policy (association agreement, EuroMed Process, etc.). The indifference shown until recently by Tripoli and delays built up while the last remaining direct (the case of the Bulgarian nurses) or international (Lockerbie and the UTA plane) disputes were resolved always blocked any attempts at a contractual link which would normalise relations. It would seem, however, that, thanks to last November's talks, expectations of future relations could be raised and commitment sought on a wide range of issues, for example, free trade which would pose no problems for Libya, which imports everything and exports mainly oil and natural gas. Libya, however, may be very keen on associating itself with the EU through measures that would encourage inward investment in gas, tourism and other areas of potential.
On the eve of her departure, Ferrero-Waldner highlighted the shared interests in important areas such as trade, energy and the development of the African continent. She was, she said, determined to take forward relations through a policy of dialogue, cooperation and engagement. She said she would raise this sensitive matter in discussions with her Libyan counterparts to determine the most appropriate form of cooperation. In her meetings with Libyan government representatives, she intends to stress that the flow of migrants into Libya and the EU is a source of growing concern to both parties.
There is nothing to suggest that talks will extend to Euro-Mediterranean regional cooperation. The press release makes no mention of it. It is known, too, that Colonel Qaddafi is not convinced of the usefulness of such a dialogue. Having refused to take part in the founding summit for the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) on 13 July 2008, he went as far as to say, last month, that the UfM was dead. The UFM “was killed by Israeli bombs and Palestinian missiles … and is now no more than a lifeless body,” says a press release from Tripoli on 25 January. At a dinner for the King of Spain, visiting Tripoli at the end of January, Qaddafi, the “Guide of the revolution”, said that Israeli aggression against the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip had dealt a serious blow to the UfM. He added that he regretted this blow as the UfM was only in its early stages. He went on: “I think the partners from the South will reconsider their membership of the UfM,” and he called for the current 5+5 dialogue (five UMA - Arab Maghreb Union - countries plus France, Spain, Portugal, Malta and Italy) to be maintained and for the Asian Mediterranean countries (Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Palestine and Turkey) to be excluded from the dialogue.
Brussels points out that, since 2006, the Commission has supported the Libyan health sector with technical and financial assistance amounting to €8 million for the Centre for Infectious Diseases at Benghazi. The Commission will shortly sign a contract with a leading European medical institution to help Libya draft its national AIDS strategy. Several Libyan children infected with the HIV virus have already received treatment in Europe thanks to the solidarity of a number of member states. (F.B./transl.rt)