July 14, 2008	Monday	Rajab 10, 1429

PARIS: Leaders from more than 40 nations have launched a new Union of the Mediterranean, aimed at boosting cooperation between Europe, north Africa and the Middle East through a series of regional projects.

The following are the main points of the summit declaration giving birth to the union.

STRATEGIC AMBITION: The partners, as equals, commit to build “a future of peace, democracy, prosperity, and human, social and cultural understanding”. To achieve these common objectives participants agree to continue with renewed dynamism the quest for peace and cooperation, to explore their joint problems and transform these good intentions into actions in a renewed partnership for progress.

PROJECTS: Rather than try to achieve big political goals, the union will launch modest regional projects based around six sectors. They are: cleaning up pollution in the Mediterranean Sea, building highways and sea lanes, disaster response, developing solar energy, boosting education and research and an initiative to help small and medium-sized businesses.

They will be funded by the budgets of the EU and participating countries, the private sector, partners and international financial institutions.

IMMIGRATION: The nations “stress that promoting orderly managed legal migration in the interest of all parties concerned, fighting illegal immigration and fostering links between migration and development are issues of common interest which should be addressed through a comprehensive, balanced and integrated approach”.

WORKING STRUCTURE: The leaders agree to hold a summit every two years, with the aim of drawing up a political declaration and a short list of concrete regional projects, as well as a two-year work programme. Foreign ministers will meet each year to review progress, prepare summits and approve projects.

Summits will be chaired by a joint presidency --- an EU state changing every six months, and a Mediterranean chairman chosen by consensus for a two year period.

A secretariat will be set up to follow and promote projects and search for international partners. Its composition, size and location will be decided by foreign ministers in November—AFP