7th Arab-EU meeting kicks off
The seventh meeting of the permanent delegates of
the Arab League and ambassadors of the EU political and security committee
kicked off here on Wednesday.
The meeting is co-chaired by Sudanese Ambassador to
Egypt and the Arab League Abdel Mahmoud Abdel Halim and Chair of the Political
and Security Committee (PSC) of the European Union Council Sofie
From-Emmesberger.
Addressing the meeting, Abdel Halim said the meeting
comes as part of efforts to bring closer viewpoints between the Arab League and
the EU as regards issues of mutual interest and current challenges.
He stressed that an Arab-European partnership would
not only bring about security and stability in the Arab region and EU states
but would also boost world peace and security.
Today's meeting comes ahead of the Arab and European
foreign ministers' meeting in Brussels on February 4 and the convocation of the
first Arab-European summit in Egypt on February 24-25.
The countries of the two regions should demonstrate
political will to achieve peace and security and enhance Arab-European
partnership as regards fighting illegal immigration and organized crime and
banning spread of weapons, he said.
He expressed regret that the international community
takes a biased view towards the rights of the Palestinian people.
Instead of protecting the rights of the Palestinian
people, some countries rush to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and
transfer their embassies or consulates to it, he said.
From-Emmesberger, on her part, underlined the
importance of Arab-European partnership in facing challenges besetting the two
regions, especially economic ones.
These challenges are complicated and no one can
confront them alone so there is a dire need for beefing up the Arab-European
partnership, she added.
There is a strategic cooperation between the two
sides to find solutions to issues of mutual interest, including terrorism and
organized crime, she said.
She expressed hope for more cooperation between the
two sides to face these challenges.
