Abul Gheit in the Middle East: the summit opens a permanent Arab dialogue with Europe

The secretary general of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, said the Arab-European Summit is an "area of ​​support for peace and stability", highlighting in a special dialogue between Asharq Al-Awsat and Sharm El -Cheikh "In common action".

The Sharm el-Sheikh document (to be published at the end of the summit) will be brief, "but it will indicate a minimum of consensus between Arabs and Europeans on political and international issues".

The secretary-general of the League of Arab States has not shown much optimism about the summit's ability to clearly resolve a number of Arab political problems, noting that it was difficult to reach a consensus between France and Italy on the Libyan issue.

He said the summit was conducive to bilateral meetings and dialogues between Arab and European leaders. While excluding the summit from finding political solutions to a number of current problems, he stressed that he would support work towards such solutions. The work would not end with the end of the Summit, but there were commonalities that would ensure ongoing coordination and understanding beyond the Summit. The following is the text of Aboul Gheit's answers …

> How do you see the level of participation at the summit of the Arab and European sides?

The high level participation at the summit means that the idea of ​​Arab-European space is acceptable and supported by both parties and reflects the interest and willingness of the Arab and European worlds to build bridges of cooperation and mutual understanding between the EU countries and the Arab Member States of the League. In Egypt, a country with its weight, its weight and its value in Europe and in other circles and political spaces, including the presidency of the African Union, an important space for the Arab and European worlds, is therefore very vast when nearly 24 heads of state and prime minister appear simultaneously. .

On the other hand, when Arabs participate in this way at the level of kings and presidents, we can also say that this idea aims to build bridges and will not end tomorrow, in that it will be followed by other meetings, with reference to consensus and agreement for the next meeting in 2022, Years in Brussels, alternating between the Arab world and Europe.

> How do you see the participation of the guardian of the two holy mosques, King Salman bin Abdul Aziz?

It is a very important partnership, chaired at this session of the Arab Summit and chaired by the Joint Summit with the European Union, whose work and cooperation are a real asset to strengthening security and peace in the Arab world and In the region.

> Can an Arab country other than Egypt (headquarters of the Arab League) welcome it?

– All Arab countries can apply to be accommodated, but this will be in 2025.

What does the title of the "Invest in Stability" summit mean?

– The slogan of the "Investing in Stability" summit is a strong message at the internal, external and international levels, and a message from Europe indicating that the stability of the Arab countries is necessary and that what is 39, passed in 2011 and beyond was a shock for many Arab countries and that the chaos that took place was not in the interest of Europe and the Arab countries. And, therefore, the title of the summit itself is a telling message of the Summit's goals and an opportunity to cooperate and progress together on political issues, irregular migration, the fight against terrorism, money laundering, etc.

> What are the priorities of Arab-European action on regional and international issues?

– All issues on the international and regional scene will be consulted, coordinated and coordinated with the European side in order to define a position that supports peace and stability and preserves common interests to the extent that there are challenges related to political and political issues. Terrorism and its expansion and ways to achieve better results to reduce its sources of funding, End the scene of criminal militias that kill and spread innocent blood in the region, as well as global and international challenges .

For example, the question of climate, as well as the issue of migration, is of interest to the French. So there was an open discussion session to discuss everything without an agenda or written statements, followed by three other sessions to make statements on the Arab side and the European side.

What is Yemen's support, for example, at this summit?

– Everyone calls for the implementation of the Swedish agreement, supports the political solution, provides humanitarian support and supports the legitimacy of all resolutions adopted by the Arab Summits on Yemen.

> Will it be agreed to define a roadmap for implementing what has been agreed?

– A detailed map of how these agreements can be implemented is impossible, because there is a divergence of points of view and a disagreement, for example a difference between the French and the Italians, and the same thing for Syria.

> Is it possible to reach a consensus between the French and the Italians on the Libyan issue?

– I doubt that because the leading interests of France are different from what Italy wants, I do not expect political solutions to the problems of the Arab region, but a serious dialogue and frankly between the Arab group and the European group, one by one, then in the same space. In other words, there are topics for which the views of a group differ, for example a European disagreement on the European Union in matters of immigration, that is to say. it is about those who are uncompromising or some of whom are in agreement with the Arab position.

Therefore, the important fact is that the summit is a European Arab space open to all kinds of discussions and dialogues, which did not immediately produce solutions, but we have reached a serious convergence and fruitful cooperation between leaders and countries, what I want to talk about is that this summit is an opportunity. Before I met, I read in the Financial Times that the British Prime Minister was in a meeting with the European Community to discuss the issue of "bricast" and that, therefore, everyone is at work.

> What about the document published at the end of the summit?

– The document will be very brief and has been consulted by the European Union, the Arab League and Egypt, the host country.

> What has the summit added to the Arab League?

– Underlined the Arab League, whose position has been relatively shaken by the political problems that occurred after 2011.

> What do you think of the after-summit?

– Arab-European cooperation is under way and numerous agreements have been concluded between the Arab League and the European Union, including training fellowships and fellowships for Arab League staff on peacekeeping issues and regional roles, as well as agreements signed between Arab countries and the European Union. In the last 10 years since the Malta meeting in 2008, there has been a lot of ongoing cooperation between the university headquarters in Egypt and the EU headquarters in Brussels. What is important is that I reached the summit and I agree to its periodicity every three years, every two years for ministers, which, in my opinion, represents a great success for the idea cooperation and rapprochement.

> Is the question of the dialogue of civilizations and cultures resolved?

– There is a long way between Arabs and Europeans and many agreements at the level of the dialogue of civilizations and cultural cooperation.