EU-Arab League Meeting: Middle East Conflicts to be Focus

Local Editor

The situation in Iraq, Syria, Libya and the Zionist-Palestinian "peace" process will be the focus of the third meeting between the foreign ministers of the European Union and the Arab League in the Greek city of Athens on Wednesday.

At the start of the one-day meeting in Athens, the British representative Hugh Robertson said, "This is an important moment for the Middle East."

"The Middle East peace process, the tragic events in Syria and the situation in Libya will be chief among the discussions here," he said.

According to Belgian minister Didier Reynders, the issue of foreign fighters radicalized in conflicts in the Middle East returning home to European countries to carry out attacks was also raised by Belgium, which called for more information-sharing among European Union [EU] and Arab states on returning fighters.

Other items on the agenda include ridding the Middle East of weapons of mass destruction as well as bolstering ties between the EU and the Arab League in the areas of energy and culture.

Moreover, Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos said, "Our goal is to greater strengthen the ties between the European Union and the Arab world, which we see as a strategic partner."

The EU high representative on foreign policy, Catherine Ashton, and Arab League Secretary General El-Araby are participating in the meeting.

Sources: News Agencies, Edited by website team