Middle East Politics.Net » EU http://middleeastpolitics.net Facts, News, Trends, Analysis Tue, 12 Jan 2010 20:56:32 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Successful Negotiations between Libya and EU http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/negotiations-between-libya-and-eu-go-well/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/negotiations-between-libya-and-eu-go-well/#comments Sun, 07 Dec 2008 04:39:49 +0000 dcrowley http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3782 According to Mr. Hugues Mingarelli, the officer in charge of the European Commission’s external relations, negotiations between the European Union and Libya in regards to an economic partnership agreement have “got off to a good start,” and suggests that Libyan authorities should continue in this direction in order to maintain “this pace of progress in the negotiations.”  The recent negotiations have been “aimed at establishing a legal framework between the two parties,” in order to create a free trade area between Libya and the EU, and the proposed agreement might not be the same as those signed with other countries, regionally similar to Libya. Mr. Mingarelli also said that if negotiations succeed, the EU would be willing to assist Libya with its illegal emigration problem.

David Crowley

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/06/negotiations-between-libya-and-eu-go-well/feed/ 0 Another Interaction with The EU http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/another-interaction-with-the-eu/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/another-interaction-with-the-eu/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 08:01:31 +0000 cicek http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3584 We all know about the ongoing accession process that Turkey has been dealing with in order to be a part of the European Union. We also know that the EU is not as eager to have Turkey as a member state, and is working consistently to find new hoops for Turkey to jump through. While these new obstacles are justified in the EU as protecting rights and improving standards, currently Turkey has not done a great job in following these reforms. Of course, understanding that there is an economic crisis by which Turkey has been deeply affected, expectations should not be high.

Yesterday, the Hurriyet Daily News, said: “Dashed hopes for the government’s return to the reform agenda have made Europeans long for the first term of the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, when Abdullah Gül was foreign minister. PM Tayyip Erdoğan’s European counterparts refrain from openly targeting his shift
from democracy as a major cause of problems. But they have joined the international media in a comparative exegesis favoring Gül.”

“As much as we appreciate Gül’s role in performing a proactive presidency, we wish he was still in government ensuring balance during these critical times,” one senior EU official, who wished to remain unnamed, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review.

Aylin Cicek

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/05/another-interaction-with-the-eu/feed/ 0 EU and Yemen to Start Talks to End Piracy http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/04/eu-and-yemen-to-start-talks-to-end-piracy/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/12/04/eu-and-yemen-to-start-talks-to-end-piracy/#comments Fri, 05 Dec 2008 06:34:57 +0000 bkeenan http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=3536 With all the recent piracy incidents off of the Yemen coast in the Gulf of Aden, the European Union will begin talks with Yemen to end the attacks.  The EU is interested because many of the ships that are being hijacked by pirates are meant to end up in Europe.  In mid-December the EU is supposed to be sending maritime ships to Yemen to help protect the waters.

Brad Keenan

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According to the statement, the King ordered the urgent dispatch of food, aid and medical supplies to Gaza, saying  “the international community should do its utmost to end this crisis.”  The United Nations Relief Agency, which has been providing aid in Gaza, has food stocks for “days not weeks.”  On Friday, 3,000 Jordanians protested Israel’s blockade on the streets of Amman.

Kasey Malcoun

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/28/2957/feed/ 0 Syria’s Comeback http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/21/syrias-comeback/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/21/syrias-comeback/#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:04:10 +0000 sanajong http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=2700 Syria has had a rocky past eight years in terms of its stance on terrorism and public image. However, as new leaders emerge in the West, Syria has taken up a role in the European Partnership Association. It is slowly making a comeback on the world stage as another potential ally of the West in the Middle East.

Sade San A Jong


]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/21/syrias-comeback/feed/ 0 Syrian-EU Economic Partnership http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/21/syrian-eu-economic-partnership/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/21/syrian-eu-economic-partnership/#comments Fri, 21 Nov 2008 21:40:44 +0000 sanajong http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=2688 As Syria readies itself to join the European Partnership Association, Czech Prime Minister, Alexander Vondra, who will chair the EU, fully welcomed and encouraged good relations with Syria.

What will this economic development and opportunity mean for Syria?

Sade San A Jong

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/21/syrian-eu-economic-partnership/feed/ 0 Libya Develops Relations with EU http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/17/libya-develops-relations-with-eu/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/17/libya-develops-relations-with-eu/#comments Mon, 17 Nov 2008 11:12:59 +0000 rdickson http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=2486 European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, along with the EU Presidency, began negotiations on the EU-Libyan Framework Agreement on November 13. She met with with Libyan representatives led by Abdulati Elobeidi, Secretary for European Affairs, and Mohamed Tahar Siala, Deputy Secretary at the General People Committee for Foreign Liaison and International Cooperation of Libya. The agreement will set out a framework for political, commercial, social, economic, and cultural relations between the EU and Libya.

The agreement has great potential to establish a strong political partnership and an increase in trade and investments between Libya and the EU.

Ferrero-Waldner stated, “This was a long awaited moment since the 2004 EU’s decision to lift the sanctions against Libya and to start a policy of engagement with this country.” She also mentioned the fact that Libya is the last South-Mediterranean country that the EU has not contractual relations with and that it is eager to establish a legal-framework covering all areas of concern.

The objectives of these negotiations is to develop an agreement to develop a political dialogue and cooperation on foreign policy and security issues, a free trade area, and cooperation in areas of concern such as energy, transportation, migration, justice and domestic affairs, environment issues, education and public health. Statements from the negotiation committee also plan on tackling issues dealing with human rights and democracy, and the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Roy Dickson

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/17/libya-develops-relations-with-eu/feed/ 0 Why Would the Duchess Sabotage? http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/07/why-would-the-duchess-sabotage/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/07/why-would-the-duchess-sabotage/#comments Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:50:08 +0000 hambolu http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=2102 As reported in Turkish news recently, Sarah Ferguson, Britain’s Duchess of York, will be featured in a documentary about Turkish and Romanian orphanages that will air in the United Kingdom. Turkish officials note that the timing of the documentary’s airing is political–the European Union is about to release its report on Turkey’s progress toward EU membership. The Duchess has denied any political motive, and asserts that her only purpose was to help the welfare of the children in the orphanages.

The timing of the documentary is too coincidental for there not to be any political motivation. The report, which has been speculated to misconstrue facts, comes at a crucial moment for Turkey. The EU’s main concern is with Turkey’s human rights record, but an undercover “expose” about orphanages in rural areas may be neither the most effective nor diplomatic way to address the problem. Turkey has admitted that the orphanage system needs a monumental systematic makeover. But it says that some of the accusations are simply untrue.

Olorunbunmi Hambolu

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/11/07/why-would-the-duchess-sabotage/feed/ 0 Egypt to Host Mideast Quartet in November http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/10/28/1781/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/10/28/1781/#comments Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:24:53 +0000 aljoaan http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=1781

Egypt will host a meeting of Middle East peace mediators in November in the resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to try to keep peace talks moving, a spokesman for President Hosni Mubarak said on Monday. The so-called Quartet (United States, European Union, Russia and United Nations) has been trying to breathe life into the stalled peace process according to Reuters.

“Egypt will host a meeting of the international Quartet in Sharm el-Sheikh next month,” Mubarak spokesman Suleiman Awad said in remarks carried on state news agency MENA. Awad said the Quartet, in particular the European Union, needed to work to keep up momentum to ensure the quick resumption of peace talks after the formation of new Israeli and US governments.

Awad gave no details on what level the meeting would be held, nor say when exactly it would be held. Egypt is also planning to host Palestinian reconciliation talks next month. Israeli and Palestinian diplomats have been attempting to negotiate a peace deal that could be finalized before US President George W. Bush steps down in January, although both sides now doubt an agreement can be reached in this time frame.

Ahmad Aljoaan

]]> http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/10/28/1781/feed/ 0 EU Slowly Opening Arms to Syria http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/10/20/west-slowly-openening-arms-to-syria/ http://middleeastpolitics.net/2008/10/20/west-slowly-openening-arms-to-syria/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:52:34 +0000 sanene http://middleeastpolitics.net/?p=1492

Sunday October 19th marks another symbolic meeting between Syria and another nation from the West. Romanian President Traian Basescu is set to meet with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, holding mainly bilateral talks between the countries regarding “regional and international developments.” This visit comes on the wake of the French visit to Damascus last month, and an increasing effort on the part of Western nations in trying to resolve some of the ongoing conflicts and continuing an effort to become increasingly involved economically and socially within this mysterious part of the world. These efforts have come particularly from the European Union, as it has attempted to extend an olive branch towards the Middle East and in particular Syria, acknowledging that greater economic success will come with the cooperation of both sides in forming strong economic ties. The meeting between Syria and Romania on Monday will continue what seems to be a growing realization by the West of the importance of the Middle East in the international arena.

Samuel Anene

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