Malta briefs Britain on proposed EU-Arab dialogue

Malta's High Commissioner in London, Michael Refalo, met Britain's Minister for Europe Geoff Hoon to explain and secure support for Malta's initiative to set up a formal EU-Arab League Dialogue.

The meeting follows Foreign Minister Michael Frendo's call last September, at an informal meeting of EU ministers in Finland, for an urgent strengthening of the structured political dialogue between the EU, the League of Arab States and their respective member states. Dr Frendo had urged the EU to actively support moderate Arab world governments whose stability is increasingly being threatened by extremist and fundamentalist elements. He has submitted the proposal for consideration by Malta's EU partners.

At the Finland meeting, EU foreign ministers agreed that the Malta proposal should continue to be explored during the German Presidency.