Protesting Israeli aggression, Syria hesitates joining Euro- Mediterranean meeting
Syria-European Union, Politics, 4/16/2002

The Syrian leadership is currently discussing the question of taking part in the EUROMED conference which will be held in Spain on April 22nd to discuss the future of economic, social and cultural co-operation between the European Union and the countries of the Mediterranean including Israel.

News reports in Damascus said that Syria which had earlier decided to take part in the conference is hesitant now to take pat because of the deadlock the Middle East peace process has reached and the escalation of the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.

However, Syria's absence from the meetings of the conference, if it will happen, will not be the first time. Earlier, together with Lebanon, Syria boycotted the works of the conference which was held in Marseilles, while all other Arab states concerned attended it.

The Syrian claim at that time was the "explosive conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories accompanied with the non- clarity of the European position towards these conditions towards the continued escalation of the Israeli aggressions against the unarmed the Palestinians " and also "Syria's decision which was based on the decision of the Cairo's Arab summit which froze any Arab participation in any regional cooperation, Israel a side in it."

However, Damascus had changed its mind under the Belgian Presidency of the European Union when it took part in a cooperation conference between the Mediterranean states and the European Union.

However, the Syrian foreign minister Farouk al-Shara discussed with the Spanish minister of state for foreign affairs Miguel Nadal the question of Syria's participation in this meeting but al-Shara did not give Syria's final consent, yet, to take part in the conference.

Previous Stories:
  Syrian intellectuals call on Europe to shoulder its responsibilities   (3/12/2002)
  Al-Shara confers with Moratinos on Palestinian situation   (3/12/2002)
  Syria- EU multi-faceted cooperation 1996- 2002   (3/11/2002)

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