You first want to Meet the heads of state and government of the two regions, as harmoniously as possible to handle. Conflicts are avoided in the seaside resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Bernd Riegert reports.
Guarded by hundreds of soldiers and police officers, and the International conference centre of Sharm el Sheikh as a well-camouflaged Fortress in the desert. Gray concrete and steel, almost no window. Protection from the sun, and maybe snipers. A high fence surrounds the grounds, in which some 50 kings, emirs, autocrats, presidents and heads of government from the Arab world and the European Union advise for two days for the first time, at the highest political level, through better cooperation.
A Palmenweg to the summit-oasis. Or is it more of a Bunker? The conference centre in Sharm el Sheikh
The heavily armed Post and many of the road, remember to lock that in the North of the Sinai Peninsula, not far from Sharm el-Sheikh, terrorists of the “Islamic state” against Egypt to fight. The autocratic ruling President of Egypt, Abdel Fatah al-Sisi, is using the rebellion, not only against the terrorists, but also against critics in his own country. The host of the summit between the Arab League and the EU summoned because even with the opening of the meeting, to strengthen the joint fight against Terror. “The Terror has spread like a malicious plague,” warned the Egyptian President. EU and Arab League would have to close back together. The two regions connect more than divide.
Hard Hand: Egypt’s President Al-Sisi cooperation in security issues want to
Still great distance
Head nodding and agreement with the representatives of the EU member States in the huge plenary hall of the conference centre. The Emir of Kuwait, Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber as-Sabah, said in his speech that he was “overjoyed” at this Meeting. Each participant was entrenched behind a heavy wooden table, to the right and on the left of lush flowers and several meters of distance to the neighbours. “By all the pomp you’d need binoculars to be able to each other in the hall at all,” joked a participating EU Diplomat.
Many of the topics except for the security question, the distances, also the political, between the Europeans and the Arabs. In contentious issues such as the Wars in Syria or Yemen, at the time of Migration or human rights, there has been no apparent convergence. This is not, however, the goal of this first-ever summit of the two regions, the EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini. “The summit is taking place at all, is of value in itself,” said the Italian politician, who wants to crown her career in the EU with the gradual approach to the Arab States. She retires in the autumn by the EU Commission.
First steps: Europeans and Arabs to come together in a
“Common Interests”
“It is clear to me that there is between us differences,” said the President of the Council of the European Union, Donald Tusk, the head of the Meeting in addition to President Al-Sisi. “We are not here to do so as we would all agree on everything, but we see common challenges and common interests.” Donald Tusk, played perhaps on the middle East peace process, where the EU and the Arab League to use is still common for a “Two-state solution”, i.e. the creation of a Palestinian state next to the already existing Israel.
The us President, Donald Trump seems to be to say goodbye to this 25-year-old concept that previously could not be implemented. After the elections in Israel on 09. April wants to publish Trump, allegedly, his long-announced and yet mysterious peace plan for Israel and the Palestinians. EU representatives Tusk does not want to leave the USA in the field. “We are here today to strengthen our cooperation for the benefit of our peoples. We should do this together, and not any powers left that life far away from our Region,” said Tusk in Sharm el Sheikh.
Mogherini: the summit not to Talk a lot about the issue of Migration burden
The foreign Minister of the Palestinian authority, Riyad al-Malki, agreed. He sat down in front of journalists, to save the “Two-state solution”. He warned of unilateral actions by Israel against the population of Palestine. In the of of the terrorist organization Hamas-ruled Gaza strip, a number of people against the Palestinian authority demonstrated at the same time to the conference in Sharm el-Sheikh. In the occupied West Bank, by contrast, there were rallies for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the planned elections always shifts.
Migration is not a priority issue
The EU policy chief, Federica Mogherini tried, even in the EU, contentious topic, largely from the top hide: Migration. The Arab and especially North African countries reject the proposals of the Europeans, “to build asylum centres” or “Landing platforms” in Africa, in order to prevent the Passage of migrants across the Mediterranean sea. The aid organization “bread for the world”, warned the EU against the migration to outsource problems to governments in North Africa, the violated systematically human rights or war crimes involved. “It’s incalculable risks for migrants, but also for us, Europeans, carries with it, if we throw our rule-of-law principles over Board, and access to Europe to deny” warned “bread for the world”. Solve look the other way no problems, but lead to even more Migration.
The Palestinian “foreign Minister,” Al-Malki is not for immediate establishment of a Palestinian state
With all the talk
EU Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker wants to work together with the countries of origin and transit of migrants is stronger. He had, of course, a stomach ache, if he had to negotiate with some of the potentates and autocrats in these countries. “But if I could only speak with a pure Democrat, would be the end of my work week, every Tuesday,” said Juncker in front of reporters. “In order to achieve convergence, one has to talk to each other,” said an EU official, the words of his boss. To Sharm el Sheikh is the right place to be.
EU Commission chief Juncker: You have to grumbles with all the talk, even if it is in the stomach
Human rights appeal
The Prime Minister of Luxembourg, Xavier Bettel, wanted to appeal to the human rights and their violation in many States of the Arab League in any case. “If I don’t do as a Gay, then I would have a Problem. Of course I’ll do it,” said Bettel. If the government is taken to be the chief of the tiny state of Luxembourg in the host country, Egypt, but Seriously, is doubtful. In Egypt and other conservative Arab States, homosexuals are persecuted sexual, imprisoned and put on trial.