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| FRANCE, EUROPE, THE MEDITERRANEAN 14/07/2008 |
| (2008-07-14) |
| Last updated: 2008-07-15 18:58 EET |
“The time has come for the solidarity rooted in geography, history and culture to bind all peoples of Europe and the Mediterranean into shared responsibilities, joint decision-making and mutual recognition of the others' equal rights and duties.” This statement was made by president Nicolas Sarkozy at the opening of a summit that brought together in Paris the leaders of 43 countries in the European Union, the Middle East and Northern Africa.
A new international body was established in their presence, the Union for the Mediterranean, whose set-up is viewed as one of the highlights of the French presidency of the European Union. It is intended to help strengthen regional ties and solve complex political issues. According to president Sarkozy, the Union for the Mediterranean is based on joint projects, including the reduction of sea and coast pollution, production of alternative energy and support for the set-up of small and medium-sized enterprises in the southern and eastern Mediterranean.
“Romania, interested in developments at both the Black Sea and the Mediterranean, gives unconditional support to the Union for the Mediterranean,” said the Romanian president, Traian Basescu. According to him, key areas of interest include economic co-operation and sustainable development, environment protection, energy, transport security, civilian emergencies, cultural and religious dialogue, and regional education programmes. This may herald an era of peace and security, in which pragmatism and economic approaches will prevail, the president of Romania believes. Traian Basescu urged Romanian companies to take part in future projects at the Mediterranean:
“These projects benefit from the sponsorship of the European Union and of the Union for the Mediterranean. As such, Romanian companies have a guarantee that all projects are endorsed by the EU and they will not lose their money. I find this to be an extraordinary opportunity for Romanian companies to return to markets like Libya, Morocco, Algeria, Syria or Egypt. There are many states where Romanian companies may return, this time around under the EU umbrella, which should be a major catalyst for Romanian businesses which have a tradition of working with Northern African and Eastern Mediterranean states.”
Two meetings held on the sidelines of the summit contributed to the success of the meeting in Paris. Lebanon and Syria, through their presidents Michel Suleiman and Bashar al Assad, expressed willingness to establish diplomatic relations, while the Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert stated, after talks with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, that Israel and Palestine had never been closer to a peace agreement.
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