Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly

The first session of the Euro-Mediterranean Parliamentary Assembly is currently taking place in Cairo. The meeting started yesterday and is expected to last until Tuesday. The EMPA was set up to replace the Euro-Mediterranean's Parliamentary Forum.

Many important personalities from the EU and the Mediterranean partners are scheduled to address the meeting. These include: the President of the Euro-Med Parliamentary assembly and President of the Egyptian Parliament (People's Assembly), Dr Ahmed Fathi Sorour; the President of the European Parliament, Josep Borell; the Foreign Minister of Luxembourg, which currently holds the EU Presidency, Jean Asselborn; the EU's High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, Javier Solana; the Secretary of the Arab League, Amre Moussa; Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit; and the Vice-President of the Commission and the Director of the Anna Lindh Euro-Mediterranean Foundation the Dialogue between Cultures, Tragott Schöfthaler.

Three members of the Maltese House of Representatives and Dr Simon Busuttil, who is a member of the European Parliament's delegation to the Assembly, will also be taking part in the meetings.