Euro Med. ministers meet in Crete

Foreign Minister Joe Borg has taken part in the Euro Mediterranean ministers' meeting, during which the ministers took stock of progress since their meeting in Valencia last year in preparation for the forthcoming meeting in Naples in December under the Italian Presidency.

Dr Borg spoke of the dynamics of enlargement of the EU, the Barcelona Process and the new neighbourhood policy.

He said these three major developments should bring together several country groupings in the form of concentric circles that, while adhering to their own individuality, would form part of a political body consisting of the enlarged EU and its neighbours to the east and south.

The 35 ministers of the European Union, the acceding states and the Mediterranean Partners of the Barcelona process attended the meeting held in Crete on Monday and yesterday.

The ministers welcomed the acceptance of the Middle East Roadmap by Palestine and Israel. They also examined the situation in Iraq and called on the international community and the regional states to work closely with the UN to safeguard the unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country and stability in the region.

They also exchanged views on the proposed wider Europe. On the political chapter they called for closer cooperation in the fight against terrorism, the identification of partnership-building measures and the reforms necessary in the field of human rights and democratisation. They agreed to include the proposed Parliamentary Assembly in the framework of the Barcelona process.