Egypt's Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit is due to arrive in Brussels tomorrow to take part in the official meeting between NATO members' foreign ministers and their counterparts of the Mediterranean Dialogue. Aboul Gheit will also meet NATO's Secretary General to discuss the latest developments on the regional and international arena. The official spokesman of the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hissam Zaki told the press yesterday that Aboul Gheit would meet the president of the European Commission as well as the European commissioners concerned with energy, the economy and money in order to discuss important common issues, such as the global financial crisis. "The talks will focus on the role that developed and developing countries can play together to deal with the global financial crisis" he said. He added that Aboul Gheit would sign with Benita Ferrero Waldner, the commissioner responsible for External Relations, and with the European commissioner concerned with energy in the EU a memorandum of understanding about a strategic partnership between Egypt and the EU in the field of energy. The spokesman also pointed out that Aboul Gheit would meet the High Representative for EU Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana to exchange their points of view with regard to different issues on the international and regional arena. On top of these issues come the current negotiations between the Palestinians and the Israelis, the worsening situation in the Gaza Strip and coordinated ways between the two parties to lift the blockade off the Gaza Strip and allow humanitarian aid to reach Gaza's people. Finally, Zaki mentioned that piracy off the Somali coasts would be one of the main issues discussed by Aboul Gheit in his meetings in Brussels.
