By KUNA,
Paris : The ministerial meeting of the Union for the Mediterranean will kick-off later Monday in the southern French city of Marseille with the participation of the foreign ministers of the member countries of the Barcelona Process, as well as the Arab League.
The French Presidency of the EU said that the two-day conference is expected to “work towards implementing the ambition for a strengthened partnership around the Mediterranean renewed by the Heads of State or Government at the Paris Summit,” which was held on July 13, following an initiative taken by French President Nicolas Sarkozy.
According to the Presidency, the conference will focus on three main issues; “reviewing the new concrete partnership projects and their implementation,” “clarifying the new governance introduced by the Union for the Mediterranean” and “political dialogue on the regional situation.” The ministers during the meeting will adopt the 2009 work program for the Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean, where it is also considered an opportunity to “enable greater progress in implementing new governance, the main principles of which were established at the Paris summit, in terms of more shared, balanced and sustainable management of cooperation in the Mediterranean.” A working session is also expected to be held to assess the political situation and the latest developments in the region.
The Mediterranean Union, which is co-presided by France and Egypt, and consists of nine Arab countries, is apparently going through a crucial time in light of an Arab League demand to be included as an observer in this process and also a demand from the Arab countries that the Middle East Peace Process takes a prominent position in the future union.