Tunisia hosts the First 5+5 Dialogue Summit
on December 5-6, 2003. This meeting is held as part of the
events that Tunisia is keen on organizing in order to tackle
a host of questions related to security, stability, economic
development, migration and dialogue of cultures and civilizations
in the western Mediterranean region. This Dialogue is characterized
by its comprehensiveness, for it addresses the various dimensions
of the political, economic, social, civilizational and cultural
relations among the region's countries, in addition to its
depth, richness and the variety of its objectives, in the
forefront of which the achievement of solidarity-based development
and prosperity in the Western Mediterranean.
Tunisia's hosting of this important Mediterranean event,
which will bring together for the first time the leaders
of the ten countries of the western Mediterranean within
a delicate international juncture, comes as a recognition
of our country's outstanding role in reviving this dialogue,
in view of the strategic importance of this process involving
Europe and the Arab Maghreb, in addition to its contribution
to ensuring security and stability and realizing the aspirations
of the Maghreb peoples in the field of cooperation and solidary
development.
Moreover, Tunisia's hosting of this historic summit comes
to crown the success of the Tunisian model, under the leadership
of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, in the field of socio-economic
development. It also bears witness to the great confidence
and respect enjoyed by Tunisia at the international level,
to the dynamism characterizing its diplomacy which seeks
to further promote the excellent partnership and friendship
relations established with the Mediterranean countries,
and to its conciliatory approach which ranks among its constant
tenets. This in addition to our country's political stability,
social peace, security, and cultural and civilizational
richness, and to its people's tolerance and openness on
other civilizations. Indeed, Tunisia represents a bridge
for contact and cooperation between Arab and European countries.
It is the first Maghreb country to sign an Association Agreement
with the European Union, based on its belief in the necessity
to open on its immediate environment and to integrate within
the globalized economy in order to meet the challenges facing
it.
Several are the initiatives launched by Tunisia in this
regard. It, in fact, proposed the creation of a Euro-Mediterranean
bank. It also called for the establishment of a Maghreb-European
charter on the rights of Maghreb communities in Europe,
underlining the necessity to adopt a comprehensive approach
in tackling the migration phenomenon, and not to be confined
to the security dimension of the question.
The Tunis Summit will offer an excellent opportunity to
move ahead in the realization of the aspirations of the
Mediterranean region's peoples, through the establishment
of a Mediterranean forum offering equal opportunities for
the countries of the northern and southern shorelines of
the Mediterranean, taking into consideration the interdependence
of interests and the common future of the region's countries.
The cooperation process between the European
Union and the countries of the Mediterranean Basin was launched
with the first Euro-Mediterranean ministerial conference
held in Barcelona in November 1995, from which emanated
the Barcelona Declaration.
This process is based on the principle of partnership. All
member countries contribute to presenting and formulating
proposals, to be discussed during the meetings of senior
officials and of Euro-Mediterranean follow-up committees
and submitted to the European Commission.
Euro-Mediterranean meetings are held on the following levels
:
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Meeting of foreign affairs ministers :
since the Barcelona meeting, five official ministerial
meetings and four non-official meetings were held.
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Meetings of senior officials in charge
of political and security questions, and meetings of
Euro-Mediterranean follow-up committee, held at the
level of national coordinators of the Euro-Mediterranean
process.
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Sector-based ministerial meetings : environment,
industry, transport, commerce, health, agriculture…etc.
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Meetings of senior officials and experts
inn the above sectors, to discuss other economic and
social questions of concern to the Euro-Mediterranean
region. |
Tunisia has always been keen on regularly participating
in all the meetings so far held, and to submit numerous
initiatives and projects in the three themes of Euro-Mediterranean
partnership.
