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11/30/05

The Hindu News: EU, Mediterranean partners agree on anti-terrorism code of conduct (but conference a total failure)

The Hindu News

EU, Mediterranean partners agree on anti-terrorism code of conduct (but conference a failure)

The European Union, Israel and its Arab neighbors endorsed an anti-terrorism code of conduct on Monday, denouncing terrorism in all its forms and manifestations in a text that officials said could be a model for a United Nations convention. The Euro-Mediterranean Code of Conduct on Countering Terrorism was issued after leaders of 35 EU, north African and Middle Eastern nations overcame significant differences at a fractious two-day summit. ``The fact that we got the practical agreement on the code of conduct from everybody is a very significant step forward indeed,'' British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the summit host, told a news conference.

The summit faced problems from the start on Sunday, when only two Mediterranean leaders showed up Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Those of Egypt, Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Tunisia and Morocco were unable to attend. The leaders of the EU nations, Israel and its Arab neighbors were deeply divided over the Middle East peace process which led Blair to drop a formal ``Common Vision'' statement on the EU's plan to revamp relations with its southern neighbors by linking aid more directly to democratic, economic and political reforms. Note EU-Digest: The Euro-Mediterranean Partnership comprises of 35 members, 25 EU Member States and 10 Mediterranean Partners (Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestinian Authority, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey). Libya has observer status since 1999. The EU aim remains the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean free trade zone by 2010. So far, of all the Nations among the 10 Mediterranean Partners, only Israel can presently claim to have a truly democratic Government, while Turkey, a democratic European Nation and EU candidate member state should for geographical and political reasons not even be grouped among the 10 Middle Eastern States. The bottom-line - the conference was a failure, because the most important issue re: the "Common Vision statement", linking aid to democratic, economic and political reforms was not adopted. Having the group denounce terrorism might be cosmetically correct or pleasing to the US, Britain, and Israel, but does not change one iota to the real issue of economics and democracy. The fact that Egypt, Algeria, Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Tunesia and Morroco - eight out of ten of the so-called Mediterranean Partners did not attend the two day summit should be enough evidence to the EU Commission and the European Parliament that the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership is not working, and should either be scrapped or totally revised. Since 1995, the EU has doled out euro20 billion (US$23.5 billion) in grants and soft loans, but this has done nothing to undo the region's poverty or boost democracy.. and in case anyone forgot: this money comes out of the pockets of the European tax payers.

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