Maher refuses to meet Peres in Valencia
Egypt-European Union, Politics, 4/22/2002

Egyptian foreign minister Ahmad Maher said on Sunday that the Arabs are calling on the European Union to play a "more active and stronger role in challenge of the Israeli aggression."

Maher added before leaving Cairo to the Spanish city of Valencia to take part in the Euro- Mediterranean ministerial conference which starts its deliberations today ( Monday) that the Arabs are taking part in this ministerial conference in a united position on that Europe has to have a stronger role in challenging the Israeli aggression."

Maher described the European position as "good, but we want it to be better." He explained that "boycotting Valencia's conference is viewed by the majority as a boycott to Europe, we want the opposite that Europe to continue supporting its position to legitimacy and the law." On Wednesday both Syria and Lebanon asked for Israel's non participation in Valencia's conference in protest of the Israeli military invasion of the West Bank and decided not to take part.

Chris Patten, the European commissioner who is in charge of the foreign relations file at the EC said that "Israel's membership in the Barcelona process is a constructive element in building this process and that Israel's presence in Valencia is important for attaining the success of the conference."

Worthy mentioning that the Barcelona process which was launched in 1995 aims at encouraging cooperation between the European Union 15- member states and the 12 member states of the southern Mediterranean including Israel and the Palestinian authority.

Previous Stories:
  Maher heads Egypt's delegation to Euro-Mediterranean conference   (4/20/2002)
  Mubarak Aznar tackle regional scene   (4/18/2002)
  Mubarak, Solana discuss peace developments, European initiative   (3/2/2002)

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