Arab, EU officials agree to boost bilateral ties
It is necessary to bolster ArabEuropean dialogue “taking into account the intertwined fates of both regions and to overcome collective challenges,” Tunisian Foreign Minister Khamis AlJoheinawi said yesterday. The Tunisian official made the remark in a speech during a meeting of Arab and European Union (EU) Foreign Ministers at the Arab League’s headquarters in the Egyptian capital.
Joheinawi highlighted the need of further cooperation between both sides at a “critical juncture”, calling for regular meetings between Arab and European officials. Moreover, on a suggestion to hold an Arab-European summit, he said that it will be instrumental in boosting bilateral ties and establishing a “well-balanced partnership”, which is crucial to ensure concerted efforts.
Meanwhile, the EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini noted that conflicts in Syria, Libya and Yemen have had a ripple effect through Europe, which underscores the “EU’s key role in protecting security in the Arab world.”
The EU official denounced a spate of recent terrorist attacks, calling for increased efforts to take relations between both sides to the next level and to enhance cooperation on numerous pivotal issues, including illegal immigration. On the conflicts in Syria and Yemen, Mogherini stressed that “military action is never the solution”, calling on the international community to help re-build the war-torn nations.
Similarly, the Arab League’s Secretary General Ahmad Abul-Gheit said that the Arab world and the EU should work as “partners” in this juncture, as further cooperation between both sides will be “mutually beneficial.”
The Arab League chief also noted that solutions to lingering conflicts are only possible through forging a solid partnership between the Arab world and the EU, which is feasible given their geographical locations and similar experiences.
On the situation in Syria, Abul-Gheit condemned the “atrocities in Aleppo”, saying that the UN Security Council should be committed to its obligations of preserving global peace and security. He also pressed the EU to use its “political clout” to put an end to the bloodshed in Syria, adding that the only solution to the conflict is a political one.
First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah led the Kuwaiti delegation to the meeting. — KUNA