|
||
 |
||
|
||
|
||
| EU Commissionaer
Ferrero-Waldner to visit Damascus and Beirut By Sophie Petitjean, Europolitics EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner is scheduled to visit the Middle East from 15 to 17 February. The first leg of her trip will take her to Syria, where she will meet President Bashar Al Assad and his government. Ferrero-Waldner’s first visit to the country as EU commissioner will provide an opportunity for her to discuss recent developments in the region and seek the contribution of Damascus to solving the crisis there. She will also review bilateral relations, including the process for concluding the association agreement that the EU and Syria have negotiated. On hold since 2004 and finally initialled last December, the agreement has been sent for consideration by the member states. Prior to her departure, the commissioner welcomed Syria’s “significant progress” in 2008, “ in particular the establishment of diplomatic relations with Lebanon and the indirect peace talks with Israel”. From Syria, Ferrero-Waldner will fly on to Lebanon, where she will meet President Michel Sleiman as well as Prime Minister Fouad Siniora and the speaker of the country’s parliament. Their discussions will focus on the European Neighbourhood Policy, the developments in the region and the challenges ahead. Welcoming the “milestone decision taken by Syria and Lebanon to establish diplomatic relations,” she said she will urge the “normalisation of relations between the two countries”. Her discussions will also touch upon Lebanon’s next parliamentary elections scheduled for June, the continued implementation of all aspects of the Doha agreement and the restoration of fully functioning democratic institutions. “I would like to emphasise the importance of the next parliamentary elections for Lebanese democracy. We stand ready to send an election observation mission to these elections should Lebanon wish so,” Ferrero-Waldner said before her departure. |
