Call for EU-Arab world pre-emptive dialogue

The time is right for the EU to engage in an ongoing pre-emptive dialogue with the Arab world and, with this aim in mind, Malta has proposed a meeting between the EU and the Arab League, according to Foreign Minister Michael Frendo.

Dr Frendo said he recently wrote to Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomoija to introduce the idea to the current EU presidency and offered that, if necessary, Malta would be ready to host such a meeting next year.

Dr Frendo was speaking at a Parliamentary Foreign and European Affairs Committee meeting where he briefed the members on his most recent meetings overseas, in particular meetings related to Mediterranean affairs.

Malta's initiative should not serve as a conference to discuss the Middle East, Dr Frendo said, but to show there is an ongoing political process between the EU and the Arab World with a view to engage in dialogue with Arab governments and countries.

He discussed the idea with a number of Mediterranean neighbouring countries, including several Arab states, that have expressed a positive reaction to Malta's initiative, the minister said.

Opposition spokesmen Leo Brincat and George Vella congratulated Dr Frendo on his initiative and said the Labour Party would welcome any such dialogue, the minister added.

Earlier, Dr Frendo briefed the committee on the Meeting of EU Mediterranean Foreign Ministers held in Lagonissi, Athens.

This group is gaining momentum and the second meeting held in Athens included the participation of Slovenia for the first time.

The meeting, he said, set up a sub committee on European affairs that allows Deputy Ministers for European Affairs to meet regularly to identify areas where EU Mediterranean countries can cooperate together to push forward common interests within the EU.

Dr Frendo said the Lagonissi meeting has agreed to hold its next meeting in Malta in February.