[ad_1]
A historic Arab summit organized by Egypt next Sunday
The Arab-European summit between the League of Arab States and the European Union will be held for the first time next Sunday in the Egyptian city of Sharm el-Sheikh, convened by Arab leaders as "a historic event" for 20 years .
According to diplomats and experts who spoke with Al-Ain Al-Akhbaria, the planned summit, which raises the slogan "Investing in stability", is an important platform in which Arab leaders seek to the EU to play a greater role in resolving crises in the Middle East, including Syria, Yemen and Libya. the Palestinian case ".
The face of Iranian infiltration into the region and support for counterterrorism efforts remain widely accepted Arab priorities, and concern over the spread of extremist groups.
A forum for mutual dialogue
More than 40 CEOs are expected to attend the summit, led by German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Ambassador Mahmoud Afifi, spokesperson for the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, told Al-Ain Al-Akhbar: "The summit is aimed primarily at strengthening Arab-European relations in all political and security aspects. and economic and solutions to armed conflict in the Arab region, and the themes of the fight against terrorism and refugees ".
The draft summit declaration, which has not yet been approved, seems to extend to all the issues of the region, as well as to the concerns of the European Union, ranked first. which include illegal immigration and the refugee crisis. If Afifi refused to reveal his expectations, he stressed that the summit "will be a forum for common dialogue".
The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the summit would be comprehensive and not limited to illegal immigration, but would also address Arab-European cooperation and common challenges, such as the fight against terrorism and regional conflicts .
Experimental meeting
Ambassador Hassan Haridi, former Egyptian Deputy Foreign Minister, considered the summit as an "experimental meeting" or a preliminary summit to discuss what Arabs and Europeans can discuss on various issues. issues of common interest and define their common denominator.
"The Arab countries are going to the summit of Sharm el-Sheikh in the hope of finding a common ground between them and the European leaders on all the issues, especially the settlement of the conflict in Syria, on the light of a Turkish-Iranian incursion and a pale Arab presence, "said the Egyptian diplomat. As well as "in Libya", which is witnessing a conflict of Franco-Italian influence and differences on the holding of elections.
"The question of the return of Syrian refugees and the reconstruction of Syria will be addressed, of course, taking into account the American position that it is necessary to wait for the political situation in Damascus to be resolved and that the demands from Europe begin the reconstruction process before the start of the political transition, "he said.
Terrorism and Iranian expansion
Ambassador Haridi added that the Arab countries intended to call on the EU countries to play a more active role in supporting the fight against terrorism in the region, by drying up its sources and confronting its finances. , and by limiting the Iranian expansion to requirements also in line with EU policy.
Ambassador Jamal Bayoumi, former Deputy Secretary of State, confirmed this statement, saying that "facing the Iranian expansion in the region is one of the most important Arab demands of the Summit", saying that stability and the security of the region were at the center of the discussions.
Dina Zaidan, an expert at the Arab Forum for Iranian Politics, said the statements of several European leaders during the previous period reflected an understanding of the Arabs' concern about Iran's role in the region and the danger that it represents for the Arab countries in particular and for the world in general. Scheduled to be launched at the summit.
Zidane told Al-Ain Al-Akhbar that the Sharm el-Sheikh summit "will give Arabs a step forward and an opportunity to open up new prospects for cooperation with European countries in many areas, including economic and technological, "stressing that" the summit on Arab land means that there is primacy for the Arabs "by raising their demands. "
The success of an Arab diplomat
Ambassador Bayoumi told Al-Ain Al-Akhbar that the Arab-European dialogue had been going on for years but that it was divided into three main directions: the Gulf, the Maghreb and the Mediterranean.Sharm el -Sheikh is now unifying the Arab front in a vote. Of course, the success of an Arab diplomat could force Europe to listen to the Arab point of view. "
He stressed that the European Union has many positions acceptable to the Arabs, perhaps the most important position on the Palestinian issue, which seems more sympathetic, in exchange for the US position blatantly biased towards Israel.
Bayoumi stressed the need to expand the circle of trade relations, considering that the European Union is the first trading partner of the Arab countries, not just the interest in politics, which always comes first and said that the dialogue between the Arab and European participants broadened these relations.
Stability and migration
Although the issue of illegal immigration is one of the top European priorities that should be presented at the summit, the Middle East and Africa being the source of most refugees in Europe, says James Moran , researcher at the European Policy Studies Center on the Arab side, Investment and Regional Security. "For them, migration is a secondary problem," he said.
In a press release, Moran said the Arab countries would voice their concerns about "the military collapse of the terrorist organization in Syria, which could incite its members to retaliate by launching attacks in Europe and the Middle East ".
The Arab Parliament announced a week ago that it "would reflect the aspirations of the Arab street", including by fighting against extremism, organized crime, money laundering, political solutions to crises, protecting the principles of good neighborliness, Protecting the principle of the independence of the judiciary and not commenting on its provisions, and combating the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction). In addition to promoting economic cooperation and trade.
Source link
