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Leaders from the European Union (EU) and Mediterranean states are gathering in Spanish city Barcelona on Sunday for a two-day summit which would try to re-launch the Barcelona Process.
In spite of ambitious declarations signed in Barcelona in 1995,there is little tangible progress of the so-called Barcelona Process in its first 10 years.
According to EU officials, the summit will seek to overcome divisions between the two shores of the Mediterranean and agree a "Declaration on a shared vision" and a five-year work program.
The EU leaders also try to focus two controversial issues: terrorism and immigration. The code of conduct on combating terrorism is likely to be the topic most hotly debated. Meanwhile, the EU also try to seek promises from its Arabic neighbors to prevent illegal immigration.
The EU is determined to secure a solemn commitment from its partners on a document taking up the United Nations' definition of terrorism and closing all legal loopholes available to terrorists.
This remains a sensitive issue for certain Arab governments, especially in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"The EU would pay its contribution to the Middle East peace process and continue to support the 'two-state' solution," Tony Blair told a joint press conference with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas held at the start of the summit.
Blair also welcomed the opening of Rafah International Border Crossing, saying it is one important step towards eventual statehood.
The EU is also keen to place the issue of migration at the heart of the EuroMed partnership in future at the risk of facing resistance from certain partners. Failing concrete results, the EU hopes the summit will define a "shared vision" to give "fresh impetus" to the issue.
However, with nearly all Arabic leaders, including Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, Moroccan King Mohamed VI and Jordan's King Abdullah II, absent from the meeting, major announcements are unlikely.
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon also walked away from the conference citing the pending general elections as the reason.
(Xinhua News Agency November 28, 2005)
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