Middle East conflict among issues on Mediterranean forum agenda
Regional, Politics, 10/26/2001

The extraordinary ministerial meeting of the Mediterranean forum held this Friday in the Moroccan southern Atlantic city of Agadir was described by several participating foreign ministers, as timely in view of the dangerous situation prevailing in the Middle East.

Participants will exchange standpoints on the situation in the Middle East and will call the UN to remain constantly committed to settle international conflicts, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, said Portuguese foreign minister, Jaime Gama, upon arrival in Agadir Thursday.

He said Israeli troops must necessarily withdraw from the occupied territories and the peace process must be put back on track to settle the conflict and enable the Palestinian people establish their independent state and live in peace at the side of their neighbors.

The meeting will provide opportunity to discuss with European partners means of putting an end to the Israeli repressive policy against the Palestinian people, Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Maher, told reporters in Agadir.

The forum meeting is timely in view of the escalation of Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people, Maher said recalling that 17 Palestinians were killed Wednesday in the slaughter in Beit Rima and Tolkarem.

Greek foreign minister, Georges Papandreou, whose country is chairing the forum, on his part said the Agadir meeting provides opportunity to discuss the settlement of regional conflicts, such as that of the Middle East.

He said Israelis and Palestinians must find the adequate formula to establish a lasting peace.

Belgian foreign minister Louis Mitchel-whose country is currently chairing the European Union- told reporters reporters upon arrival in Agadir Thursday evening that it is most urgent to find a solution to the Middle East crisis. The settlement of this conflict would largely contribute to struggle against terrorism, not because this crisis is the cause of the phenomenon, but because the non-settlement of this problem is likely to kindle the plague, the Belgian official said. The EU is ready to shoulder its responsibility in settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, he said calling the conflicting parties to return to the negotiation table.

The Mediterranean forum is holding this extraordinary ministerial meeting at the initiative of King Mohammed VI, who deemed it important that Mediterranean countries meet after the terror attacks of last September 11 to think jointly about the best answer to an international situation that has experienced deep changes.

The Mediterranean forum, set up in 1994 by Algeria, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, Morocco, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia and Turkey, is an informal forum of consultation and dialogue between these Mediterranean countries.

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