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France and Egypt to lead
setting up of Mediterranean Union
The presidents of France
and Egypt will become the first leaders of the Mediterranean Union due to be
launched in July 2008, the Asharq Al-Awsat daily said on Monday.
EU leaders last month
approved a proposal by France and Germany to establish the Mediterranean Union
- a club of EU member states and other countries having access to the
Mediterranean Sea, designed to streamline migration policy, and encourage trade
and environmental protection.
The London-based Saudi
newspaper said the organization is planning to have two chairpersons - one from
the EU and the other from other states. "An agreement has almost been
reached to assign the posts: Nicolas Sarkozy will lead the Union on behalf of
Europe, and Hosni Mubarak on behalf of the remaining Mediterranean
countries."
The organization's head
office will be based in Tunisia and will have two divisions - European and
Mediterranean, employing 20 officials, who will manage and monitor projects and
organize biennial summits
The Union's establishment
is expected to be announced in Paris on July 13 during a Euro-Mediterranean
summit, which will be attended by 43 heads of state, as well as chiefs of the
Arab League and the African Union.
Originally France proposed
the Union should comprise only EU member states and countries bordering the
Mediterranean Sea, but this was vehemently rejected by Germany and some other
EU states, who said it would reduce EU influence and could undermine other
organizations, namely the Barcelona Process or Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.
The Euro-Mediterranean
Partnership comprises 37 countries, including all 27-EU states and 10
Mediterranean nations: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, the
Palestinian National Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.
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Europe