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ORAL
CONCLUSIONS The Tenth Ordinary Session of the Mediterranean Forum Foreign Ministers was held in Antalya on 9-10 October 2003 with the participation of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Algeria, Egypt, Greece, Malta, Spain and Turkey; the Minister Delegate for European Affairs of France, the State Secretary for Maghreb and African Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Tunisia, the Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Italy, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco and the Director-General for Bilateral Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Portugal. The deliberations of the Ministers took place in a candid and friendly atmosphere and were marked by the constructive spirit characteristic of the Mediterranean Forum. The prevailing amicable and productive climate enabled the Ministers to evaluate comprehensively the activities realized under the Turkish Presidency, to elaborate on the future course of continued cooperation and dialogue within the framework of the Forum and to exchange views on current international developments with particular implications for the Mediterranean basin such as Iraq and the Middle East Peace Process.
Review of the Developments in the Region The Ministers acknowledged that the Middle-East Peace Process and the situation in Iraq are two issues, which have undeniable political implications for the Euro-Mediterranean region. The Ministers expressed their grave concern about the recent escalation of tension and violence in the Middle East, which endangers the Road-Map process and dialogue. The continuing violent attacks on Israel that cost the loss of many innocent lives and the excessive use of force by Israel towards Palestinians have cast a shadow on the prospects of peaceful co-existence by two independent states and dialogue in the region. The Ministers agreed that there was no alternative to the Road Map and they supported fully the efforts of the Quartet to bring it back on track. It was asserted that the decision by Israel to remove Palestine leader Yasser Arafat would cause serious repercussions in the region. The Ministers voiced their concern over Israel’s air strike near Damascus on 5 October 2003, which is in violation of international law and of Syria’s sovereignty and could lead to further escalating tension in the region. With regard to the situation in Iraq, the Ministers expressed their desire to see peace, stability and sovereignty restored in the country in the near future. The Ministers also agreed that the United Nations should play a central role in the stabilization and reconstruction of the country. The Ministers asserted that Iraq should remain as one country and one nation in which its ethnic and religious diversity would be an asset for its democratic pluralism. The Ministers shared the view that the presence of foreign forces in Iraq should be of a temporary nature and that their gradual departure should be completed in a certain time frame. The Ministers reaffirmed the high value they attach to their political dialogue within the context of the Forum that served to foster a spirit of cooperation geared towards spreading the benefits of peace, stability and shared prosperity throughout the Mediterranean. They noted with appreciation that the Forum provided a platform in which an uninhibited political exchange could be held on certain issues that were not as easily dealt with in other fora and a congenial setting more conducive to the elaboration of proposals for collaboration in the political, economic and cultural chapters. Underlining the significant role played by the Forum as one of the main complementary initiatives that presently exist for cooperation in the Mediterranean region, the Ministers reiterated their commitment to enhancing the partnership within this region and reconfirmed that, while maintaining its uniqueness, the Forum would continue to support and contribute to the spirit and objectives of the Barcelona Process. The Ministers expressed their satisfaction at the work conducted by the Senior Officials who met four times during the course of the Turkish Presidency (3-4 October 2002 in Istanbul, 20-21 February in Antalya, 26-27 June in Istanbul and 8 October 2003 in Antalya) in order to promote the goals and objectives of the Forum through cooperation on political, economic and cultural themes. 1. Political Issues: a) The Ministers welcomed the oral presentation made by H.E. Mr. Abdullah Gül, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey, on the outcome of the workshop on Organized Crime, Drugs and Weapons Smuggling and Money Laundering held by the Turkish International Academy Against Drugs and Organized Crime with the participation of member states in Ankara between 4 and 6 June 2003. The Ministers congratulated Turkey on the successful organization of this workshop during its Presidency and, in endorsing the conclusions and recommendations emanating from the meeting, re-affirmed their full support for the continuation of such meetings on specific topics of common interest that would serve to further develop political dialogue within the partnership. b) The Ministers acknowledged with satisfaction that the Forum was the source of several significant initiatives of cooperation one of which was most notably in the area of combat against terrorism. Given the grave implications of the tragic terrorist attacks of September 11, the Ministers reiterated the importance of effective cooperation both at regional and international levels in the combat against this scourge. To this end, the Ministers reaffirmed their strong condemnation of terrorism and their commitment to counter this global phenomenon through effective means of collaboration, including addressing its root causes. The Ministers expressed their condolences to Spain for the deplorable terrorist attack that had claimed the life of a Spanish diplomat in Baghdad on the day of their meeting and unanimously adopted a communiqué to be issued on behalf of the Forum by the Presidency condemning this act of terrorism. (Annex 1) The Ministers also adopted a communiqué expressing their shock and condemnation of the cowardly attack on the life of Ms. Anna Lindh, the late Foreign Minister of Sweden in September 2003. (Annex 2) In this connection, the Ministers recalled that as one of its most tangible accomplishments, the Forum had taken a significant step in adopting by acclamation at their previous meeting in Delos the Code of Conduct on Terrorism. They noted the spirit of cooperation that had made its adoption possible and underlined the importance of its swift implementation. The Ministers acknowledged the efforts exerted by the Turkish Presidency to this end and the special meeting of experts convened by the Presidency concurrently with the Senior Officials meeting held in February 2003 as well as the continued efforts of Spain as chair of the working group on terrorism. Based on the oral report presented by H.E. Ana Palacio, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Spain, the Ministers noted the progress made towards the implementation of the Code of Conduct, particularly in respect to the agreement reached on one of its elements, namely the points of contact within the framework of the Code of Conduct, at the meeting of experts under the Chairmanship of Spain held in Madrid on 15 September 2003. The Ministers asked the Senior Officials, in light of the progress achieved thus far towards implementation of the Code, to enhance the political dialogue on this matter with a view to expeditiously elaborating on the ways and means of making the Code of Conduct operational without delay. They also expressed their belief that the dialogue between cultures had become an all the more pertinent task to which the Forum could constructively contribute. c) The Ministers stressed the importance of Partnership Building Measures (PBM’s) and the role that the Forum could play in promoting such measures that could also positively impact the larger partnership of the Barcelona Process. They concurred that, while the Euro-Mediterranean Process had been negatively influenced by events in the Middle East, the consequent stalemate encountered in the political chapter did not pose an obstacle to the pursuit of viable PBM’s in other areas. The Ministers acknowledged that, despite the fact that it was difficult to move on political matters, there still existed potential areas for cooperation under the economic and social chapters such as, inter-alia, crime prevention, environment and maritime safety. In this connection, the Ministers mandated the Senior Officials to explore and identify possible areas for PBM’s with a view to submitting concrete proposals for feasible initiatives that could serve as a tangible contribution to the development and consolidation of the Barcelona Process. d) The Ministers welcomed the workshop hosted by Italy on 20-21 June 2002 in the context of a dialogue on conflict prevention as well as the oral presentation of H.E. Mr. Alfredo Mantica, Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs of Italy, on its conclusions. The Ministers further instructed the Senior Officials to identify specific measures from the conclusions emanating from this meeting that could be implemented in the region and to submit proposals to that end for their endorsement at the subsequent Ministerial meeting. e) Recalling the Valencia Action Plan and the decision adopted at the Euro-Mediterranean Mid-Term Ministerial Meeting held in Crete on 26-27 May 2003 to include the envisaged Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly in the framework of the Barcelona Process once the European Parliament and the national parliaments had reached an agreement on its creation, the Ministers reiterated that this body should have a consultative capacity. They also reaffirmed their support and conviction that the transformation of the existing Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Forum to a Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly would represent a positive step towards enhancing the parliamentary dimension of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. The Ministers welcomed the ongoing discussions within the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Forum on its conversion into an Assembly and the progress made to this end. They also requested that the outcome of these deliberations be made available prior to the VI Euro-Mediterranean Meeting of Foreign Ministers to be held in Naples in December 2003, where the matter would be addressed. 2. Economic Issues: a) The Ministers expressed their appreciation for the meeting held, as part of the reinforced economic dialogue, in Rabat on 25-26 June 2002 on the economic consequences of September 11 and the presentation on its conclusions by H.E. Mr. Mohamed Rachad Bouhlal, Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Morocco. The Ministers acknowledged the adverse global economic impact of September 11 on, and its negative ramifications for the Mediterranean region, particularly on the commercial, tourism and investments sectors as the Rabat meeting illustrated. The Ministers requested the Senior Officials to examine such issues within the context of economic dialogue as a means to facilitate cooperation and development within the partnership. These could include the impact of the enlargement of the EU on the Southern Mediterranean; cooperation in the field of agriculture and rural development; South-South trade; promotion of foreign direct investment and foreign debt. b) The Ministers welcomed the creation of the “Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment and Partnership (FEMIP)” and noted with satisfaction that the favorable experience and performance of the Facility to date had proven the merits and need for a full-fledged Euro-Mediterranean Bank. In light of the review that will be conducted on the functioning of FEMIP according to which a decision will be taken one year after its establishment to determine the future course of action regarding the Facility, the Ministers reiterated their strong support for its conversion to a Euro-Mediterranean Bank as a subsidiary of the European Investment Bank, dedicated to the Mediterranean Partners. The Ministers accordingly expressed the hope that an accord in principle for the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean Bank as a viable project would be reached at the VI Euro-Mediterranean Meeting of Foreign Ministers to be held in Naples in December 2003. c) The Ministers underscored the importance of promoting trade relations between the Mediterranean Partners and welcomed progress recorded in the Agadir Process to this end. The Ministers underlined the interest that the Union of Arab Maghreb (UMA) represents for the process of sub-regional economic integration. Recalling the main goal of the Barcelona Process to establish a Free Trade Area by 2010, the Ministers reiterated the importance of the conclusion of bilateral Free Trade Agreements between the Mediterranean Partners and the ratification by EU Member States of the Association Agreements already signed with Mediterranean countries towards the realization of this objective. The Ministers expressed their appreciation that this issue had been among the topics taken up by the Senior Officials at their meetings during the course of the year. d) The Ministers welcomed the discussion held by the Senior Officials during their meetings on a number of sectoral issues and encouraged them to continue such efforts. In this connection, the Ministers welcomed the initiative of Italy during its EU term of Presidency to host the First Euro-Mediterranean Conference of the Ministers of Agriculture, scheduled to take place on 27 November 2003 in Venice. 3. Cultural and Social Issues: a) Given the need to create cultural and social harmony at the global level without any fault lines among different cultures, particularly in the wake of the tragic events of September 11, the Ministers expressed their conviction of the importance of dialogue between cultures as a means to promote tolerance, harmony and understanding to benefit peace and stability in and beyond the Mediterranean region. The Ministers recalled the progress recorded towards agreement on the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean Foundation to serve this purpose during the Euro-Mediterranean Mid-Term Ministerial Meeting held in Crete on 26-27 May 2003. They reiterated their support for the creation of such a Foundation and expressed the hope that common elements of an agreement could be reached prior to Barcelona VI in Naples on the pending modalities and time-table of the establishment of the Foundation, including its possible headquarters. They also agreed to propose, irrespective of the decision to be taken on the eventual seat of the Foundation, that it be dedicated to the late Anna Lindh, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden, in recognition of her contribution to the dialogue between cultures. b) The Ministers noted the very complex nature of immigration issues where perceptions and priorities differ from one shore of the Mediterranean to the other. Recognizing the important social and humane considerations associated with the issue, the Ministers concurred that this should be an area for the Senior Officials to explore further the avenues of promoting dialogue both in terms of illegal immigration and the social integration of legal migrants. c) The Ministers reiterated the importance they attached to promoting the image of the Mediterranean Forum and acknowledged with appreciation the projects successfully realized by the Turkish Presidency to give the Forum greater visibility during its tenure. In this connection the Ministers welcomed the initiatives of the Presidency by its own means to publish a special commemorative book on “Architecture in the Mediterranean” and a Special Issue of the quarterly publication of the Strategic Research Center of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs entitled “Perceptions” dedicated to the Mediterranean Forum, both with the invaluable cooperation of the member states. The Ministers also took note with appreciation of the Mediterranean Forum web page that had been posted on the web site of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that would be handed over to succeeding presidencies for further elaboration and update. In the same vein, they noted with appreciation the efforts of the Turkish Presidency to create a database to serve the collective memory of the Forum to be passed on from one Presidency to the next. The Ministers encouraged succeeding Presidencies to follow-up on and take similar initiatives that would enhance the image and visibility of the Forum and also requested the Senior Officials to develop further projects to serve this purpose. In relation to cultural projects with the aim of promoting the Forum regarding the institution of a Mediterranean Award and the celebration of a Year of the Mediterranean, the Ministers also thanked the Presidency for the contacts held with the EU Commission that resulted in their incorporation in the “indicative list of activities” foreseen for the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation annexed to the Conclusions of the Euro-Mediterranean Mid-Term Crete Ministerial Meeting. The Ministers further instructed the Senior Officials to pursue these two projects at the Euro-Mediterranean Senior Officials level with a view to their realization. 4. VI Euro-Mediterranean Conference of Foreign Ministers to be held in Naples, 2-3 December 2003. The Ministers seized the opportunity provided by the 10th Ordinary Session of the Mediterranean Forum to address preparations and issues relevant to the upcoming VI Euro-Mediterranean Meeting of Foreign Ministers scheduled to take place in Naples at the beginning of December 2003. In this connection, they reiterated that important decisions were expected to be taken at Naples in respect, inter-alia, to the Euro-Mediterranean Foundation, the possible creation of a Euro-Mediterranean Bank and a Euro- Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly. In this context, the Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the spirit and ideals of the Barcelona Process, the Valencia Action Plan adopted with a view to its revitalization and the objective of promoting the image of the Mediterranean Forum within the context of the Euro-Mediterranean Process as a body to complement and contribute to it. To this end, the Ministers expressed their full support and cooperation to the Italian EU term of Presidency to ensure the successful outcome of the Naples Conference. The Ministers took note of the proposal of France for the establishment of a committee of eminent personalities who could complement the work of the Barcelona Process with their contributions to further enhance the Euro-Mediterranean partnership. Lastly, the Ministers agreed to hold their next meeting in 2004 in France, which would subsequently assume the Presidency of the Forum. |