Mediterranean Union takes form

PM joins 42 leaders in Paris to develop Sarkozy’s vision of regional cooperation tackling common problems

French President Nicolas Sarkozy (left) welcomes Greek Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis to Paris yesterday, where 43 heads of state converged to discuss the creation of a Mediterranean Union to boost ties between European Union member states and countries bordering the Mediterranean and tackle common problems like illegal immigration.

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis yesterday expressed his support for the creation of a Mediterranean Union, an idea first mooted by French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on the sidelines of an unprecedented summit in Paris, bringing together 43 heads of state from the Europe Union and countries bordering the Mediterranean.

“Greece has supported (Sarkozy’s) initiative from the very beginning, has actively contributed at every stage and will continue by working on specific initiatives,” Karamanlis said yesterday evening. Greece’s PM expressed particular support for proposals to boost cooperation on curbing illegal immigration and developing renewable energy sources. Other proposed initiatives include the creation of “sea corridors” to improve connections between regional ports, a cleanup of the Mediterranean’s waters and coastal areas and greater cooperation on the prevention and response to natural disasters, such as fires and earthquakes. “We need a decisive and stable cooperation... to enable us to jointly tackle common problems,” Karamanlis said.

Bringing together the leaders of arch-foes in the Mediterranean and Middle East, the summit also served as an occasion for bilateral meetings and even a couple of breakthroughs. Sarkozy hosted landmark talks between his Syrian and Lebanese counterparts, Bashar al-Assad and Michel Sulayman. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert remarked that the Israelis and Palestinians “have never been this close” to a peace deal.

Sarkozy drew on the ancient Greek playwright Sophocles’ tragedy “Antigone” to express his will for regional peace. “My nature is for mutual love, not hate,” he said.

Sarkozy’s meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan was regarded as significant in view of Sarkozy’s original suggestion that Ankara’s membership of a Mediterranean Union act as a substitute for EU membership.