Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Secretary General of the Arab League, met on Sunday with Josep Burrell, the EU High Representative for Foreign and Security Policy, on the sidelines of the Rome-Mediterranean Dialogue conference hosted by the Italian capital.
“The meeting dealt with a number of issues of industry and regional concern to both sides, particularly in preparation for the sixth session of the Arab-European ministerial meeting, which is scheduled to be held in Cairo during the first quarter of next year,” the Arab League said in a statement.
The two sides discussed ways to ensure the success of this round, as it is an important lever for relations between the Arab world and the EU.
During the meeting, Aboul Gheit reiterated the importance of maintaining European principled positions regarding the implementation of the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.
He stressed the need for Europe to play a more active role in reviving the negotiating process between Palestine and Israel, on the basis of well-known international standards and decisions of international law.
Aboul Gheit stressed the need to activate Arab-European consultations at this particular stage, especially with the expansion of the area of joint ventures between the two sides, and the multiplicity of issues that need cooperation, coordination and joint action..
