European Union's foreign policy chief visits Middle East
Brussels, 10 Feb. (AKI) - The European Union's foreign policy chief Javier Solana begins a four-day visit to the Middle East on Monday. His tour will begin in Sauid Arabia, and will take in Egypt, Jordan, the Palestinian territories and Israel. Solana will hold talks with country leaders and other senior figures during his visit to the region. They will discuss ways of increasing diaologue between Muslim and Western countries after the rift in relations caused by Muslim outrage over the series of Danish-originated satrical cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed that have been published in over a dozen countries worldwide.
Solana will meet Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud and foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on Monday. While he is the Saudi capital, Jeddah, Solana will also hold talks with Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) chief, Edmeleddin Ihsanogul.
Earlier this week, Solana, Ihsanogul and UN secretary general Kofi Annan issued a joint statement expressing their "profound concern" over the satirical cartoons' publication. Freedom of the press entailed respects for all religious beliefs, they said, while condeming the violent anti-cartoon protests that have taken place across several continents resulting in the deaths of 12 people, as well as serious damage to several embassies and boycotts of Scandinavian products.
On the Egyptian leg of his trip, Solana will meet the country's president, Hosni Mubarak and foreign minister, Ahmed Ahmed Aboul Gheit, as well as Arab League secretary general, Amr Moussa, in the capital, Cairo.
In Jordan, Solana will hold meetings with King Abdullah II and with foreign minister Abdelah al-Khatib. He will end his visit in Israel, where he will meet foreign minister Tzipi Livni. In the Palestinian territories, he will review the situation following militant Palestinian group Hamas' landslide victory in last month's general election, and the formation of a new government "committed to the Middle East peace process" Solana's office said in a statement.
Solana will meet Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud and foreign minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on Monday. While he is the Saudi capital, Jeddah, Solana will also hold talks with Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) chief, Edmeleddin Ihsanogul.
Earlier this week, Solana, Ihsanogul and UN secretary general Kofi Annan issued a joint statement expressing their "profound concern" over the satirical cartoons' publication. Freedom of the press entailed respects for all religious beliefs, they said, while condeming the violent anti-cartoon protests that have taken place across several continents resulting in the deaths of 12 people, as well as serious damage to several embassies and boycotts of Scandinavian products.
On the Egyptian leg of his trip, Solana will meet the country's president, Hosni Mubarak and foreign minister, Ahmed Ahmed Aboul Gheit, as well as Arab League secretary general, Amr Moussa, in the capital, Cairo.
In Jordan, Solana will hold meetings with King Abdullah II and with foreign minister Abdelah al-Khatib. He will end his visit in Israel, where he will meet foreign minister Tzipi Livni. In the Palestinian territories, he will review the situation following militant Palestinian group Hamas' landslide victory in last month's general election, and the formation of a new government "committed to the Middle East peace process" Solana's office said in a statement.
posted by Marko at 2/10/2006 08:50:00 AM
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