Final endorsment of Egyptian - European partnership on April 16

Egyptian diplomatic sources said that Foreign Ministry is currently framing the final articles and contexts for Egyptian partnership with the European Union as a preliminary step to submitting it to Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak before the beginning of the expanded meeting for the foreign ministers of the 27 countries who are members of the European - Mediterranean cooperation on April 16.

In this context, the Egyptian and European sides held a meeting yesterday under the chairmanship of Egyptian Assistant Foreign Minister Fathi El-Shazeli and the official for European - Mediterranean cooperation at the German Foreign Ministry, Peter Rothen, as Germany is the president of the European Union.

On the Egyptian side, the assistant foreign minister for partnership affairs with the EU, ambassador Gamal Bayoumi, as well as representatives of the European permanent committee and German Foreign Ministry in Cairo have taken part in the meeting.