Attempts to boost Egyptian-EU relations are unlikely to impact on attempts to secure peace in the region, writes Doaa El-Bey Egyptian-French, and cross Mediterranean, relations are expected to top the agenda of President Hosni Mubarak and French President Nicolas Sarkozy's when they meet today. The two are also expected to discuss the Palestinian problem and the situation in both Lebanon and Darfur. Mubarak's visit to France follows Sarkozy's suggestion that a Mediterranean union be established to facilitate cooperation between southern European states and their opposites on the southern shores of the Mediterranean. The union will spearhead the development of mechanisms to promote trade cooperation as well as political and economic integration across the Mediterranean. Sarkozy has already discussed his proposal during visits to Tunisia and Algeria last month. The idea, together with ways to improve Egypt's relations with the EU, will be further discussed during Sarkozy's visit to Egypt scheduled for late September. Although Algeria and Tunisia have already welcomed the idea, and other southern Mediterranean countries are likely to follow suit, it has drawbacks. One Egyptian official, speaking on condition of anonymity, complained that it was as yet too ill-defined to be distinguishable from other similar initiatives. "Rather than working out the details and then tailoring an initiative, Sarkozy came up with the initiative then started to look for the details," says the source. Gamal Bayoumi, secretary-general of the Arab Investors' Union, welcomes the proposal, though he worries that it excludes states such as Germany which have major interests in the Mediterranean region. "The idea could deepen Euro- Mediterranean ties but it should proceed in parallel with other efforts to boost those ties and not at right angles." In other attempts to boost Egyptian-EU relations Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul- Gheit visited Portugal last month while a delegation from the European Commission, headed by Portugal's EU presidency coordinator for the Barcelona Process, Roberro de Menezis, arrived in Egypt for talks with the Foreign Ministry's assistant for European affairs Fatema Al-Zahraa Etman. They discussed the possibility of boosting EU-Egyptian and cross Mediterranean relations through a series of ministerial conferences to be held during Portugal's six-month presidency of the EU, which began on 1 July. During the meeting Etman underlined that though Cairo welcomed any ideas that promote Euro-Med relations, preparation for these ministerial conferences should meet the interests of both northern and southern Mediterranean states. Egyptian-EU relations entered a new phase this year with the launch of a joint action plan within the framework of the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) in Brussels in March. The plan is intended to support the reform process across a wide range of sectors including trade, customs, agriculture, transport, energy and science. The plan also aims to promote reform in the areas of human rights and democracy. It follows on from Egypt's EU association agreement, which came into force in June 2004 and aims to liberalise trade between Egypt and the EU. In its wake EU exports to Egypt rose from 8.2 billion to 12 billion euros in 2006. Egypt's exports to the EU increased from five to 7.5 billion euros. The EU now accounts for 40 per cent of Egypt's total trade with the world. Bayoumi praises efforts since 2004 to boost coopertion and implement the action plan, especially the work of the specialised committees which continually review the process. Required progress, though, has been hampered, he says, by internal change within the EU, which has grown from a 15 to a 27 state union, and by sluggishness on the part of Egypt to capitalise on the opportunities offered. "Our private sector should be rushing to assess the needs of each and every EU member state and provide it with what it needs. And our civil society organisations should be deep in dialogue with their counterparts in Europe. The sooner they do this, the more Egypt will benefit," he says. Stronger Egyptian-EU relations have also been trailed as a way for Cairo to encourage the EU to play a more active role in resolving regional conflicts, including the deadlocked Israeli Palestinian peace talks. Bayoumi, though, doubts the EU's ability to undertake such a role. "Europe is an economic giant but a political dwarf. It can financially help the Palestinians but politically it is very weak." Washington, he says, is unlikely to condone a greater European role in resolving the crisis, and the situation is further complicated by the fact that the EU includes states such as Britain, which are likely to support the American line. Bernd Erbel, Germany's ambassador to Egypt, held a press conference early last month to mark the end of Germany's EU presidency of the EU, a period that has seen the situation in Lebanon deteriorate, the confrontation with Iran escalate, and the Hamas take over of Gaza. While conceding Europe should have played a stronger role, he pointed out that German Chancellor Angela Merkel had managed to revive the Quartet, which was virtually moribund by the end of 2006. "I do not want to praise the results but one can praise the effort. We cannot view problems as traders but as investors. If the Quartet takes a stand that does not appeal to everybody it is better than doing nothing at all. If we want to resolve the present Palestinian crisis we will have to act together and make a joint effort," said Erbel.
