Brussels, 17/02/2009 (Agence Europe) - After visiting Damascus, European External relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, late on Monday, headed for a two-day working visit to Beirut.
In Syria, during the first part of her trip, she had meetings with President Bashar Al Assad, Deputy President Farouk Al Sharaa, Deputy Prime Minister with responsibility for Economic Affairs Abdullah Al Dardari and Foreign Minister Walid Al Moallem, to discuss bilateral relations, while awaiting the signing of the association agreement initialled on 14 December of last year, and currently under consideration by member states. Without giving any further details, Ferrero-Waldner told press that she expected the agreement to be signed this year. A text was initialled in 2004, but things became hot for Syria after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. The text had then to be adapted before the finishing touches were made to it at the end of 2008. Everything would appear to indicate that the Syrian attitude to the international committee of enquiry into Hariri's assassination and progress made in Syria's indirect talks with Israel, which have been suspended after the Gaza crisis, will determine how soon the agreement can be signed.
Deputy Prime Minister Dardari said he hoped the agreement would encourage cooperation. The European Commission says that, between 2007 and 2010, it will have provided a total of €130 million to support economic, social and administrative reforms. In 2009, €40 million will be allocated for measures to encourage decentralisation, to reform social protection and modernise the health system. In addition to the above sums, the Commission has, since 2007, provided €60 million to implement projects to meet the needs of the huge number of Iraqi refugees in Syria.
The commissioner also discussed recent developments in the regional situation. She welcomed the “constructive attitude” of the Syrian government in improving its relations with Lebanon and Israel. “I am pleased that the Syrian authorities have said they were ready to continue discussions with the new Israeli government as soon as it is put in place,” she added. The Syrian president stated that the EU had a larger role to play in settling the problems of the Middle East.
In Lebanon, the commissioner is to meet Head of State Michel Sleiman, Speaker of the Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Fouad Siniora, Foreign Minister Faouzi Salloukh and other members of the government. Before her departure from Brussels, Ferrero-Waldner congratulated the Lebanese government on the progress achieved in national reconciliation and on the efforts made on economic reform as set out in the programme adopted two years ago in Paris. Support will also be given to Lebanon in its forthcoming electoral process. Legislative elections will be held on 7 June amid a feverish political climate. €4 million have been made available for 2008 reform of the electoral system and for preparation of the elections. In 2009, €43 million will be provided to help Lebanon reform its education system, improve the management of its prisons and continue its work on human rights and electoral reform. Some of this money will also go to mine clearance operations that are among Lebanon's priorities. (F.B./transl.rt)
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