Jordan takes the UPM lead
(B2) Jordan takes the "South" co-presidency of the Union for the Mediterranean (UPM) replacing Egypt. It is the European Union which ensures the "north" co-presidency of the UPM. A working meeting should take place at the level of senior officials, at the end of September in Brussels with the 43 European and Mediterranean countries that make up the UPM.
A project factory
Meetings at ministerial level are not expected to start until next year. There is a " important technical work to assume to develop the various projects. The UPM is, in fact, both a body for political dialogue but also a machine for approving projects (water desalination plant in Gaza, Euro-Mediterranean university in Fez, etc.). The various energy projects should not be ready before September 2013, according to our information.
Where political issues collide
This deadline is also good ... politically. Turkey - which is part of the UPM - will refuse any meeting chaired by a Cypriot minister. The principle of the presidency of the European Union is, in fact, variable geometry depending on the files. If the question comes under the "exclusive" competence of the EU, it is its representative who presides: Commissioner De Gucht for Trade for example, or a member of DG Trade; the High Representative of the EU or a member of the European diplomatic service (EEAS), if it is a question of European foreign policy, Etc. But if it is a shared competence, between the EU and the Member States, it is a member of the rotating presidency and a member of the Commission who presides. For example in transport.
Palestine present in title, Syria to absent subscribers
It is worth mentioning that the UPM is one of the only organizations (along with Unesco), where Palestine is represented as such, with a voice in the chapter, on all projects like all the other States present around the table. (Israel in particular). It can also be noted that Syria is an integral part of the UPM. But Bashar's government recently chose not to sit and to play the "empty chair" policy. Which, incidentally, avoided a debate on the exclusion of his presence in this forum.
