Ten years on

Foreign ministers of the 35 member states of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership convened in Luxembourg this week to assess 10 years of the Barcelona Process, an initiative launched in 1995, reports Magda El-Ghitany

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European Union countries were joined by Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia, and Turkey at the Luxembourg meeting.

Amr Moussa, secretary-general of the Arab League, Javier Solana, EU foreign policy chief, joined the ministers in Luxembourg. Also attending the meeting was Mohamed Taher, a senior member of the Foreign Ministry of Libya, a country hoping to join the partnership.

The conference took stock of 10 years of largely unfulfilled partnership and also considered preparations for a November 2005 event that will be arranged by Spain.

"Europe's partnership with its southern Mediterranean neighbours is at critical moment," Benita Ferrero -- Waldner, EU commissioner for external relations, stated in a press release. "Ten years [on], we have some key decisions to take that will determine the future shape of our relationship," Waldner said. "By agreeing to take up the challenges... we can give this partnership a real boost," she added.

The European commission stated that "economic reform, education, human rights and democracy" are areas where partners should enhance their cooperation. The commission also proposed a joint free trade zone to be established by 2010 to boost economic cooperation.

"Arab states succeeded in convincing the European partner of the Arab vision regarding the issue of reform and the Arab states' rejection of any external attempts to interfere in their [domestic affairs]," Ahmed Abul-Gheit, Egypt's foreign minister said. The reform process, he added, "will take place in Arab states in a way that suits each country's historical, cultural and social" context.

Arab delegations to Luxembourg also reaffirmed their support of the Palestinian cause. Arab sources suggest that Europeans have shown sympathy to the Arab point of view on the matter. For his part Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Qudwa emphasised the crucial role the "EU could play in supporting the Palestinian Authority".