Egypt boycotts Euro-Med summit over Lieberman

27 October 2009

The French Government has decided to postpone a conference of the foreign ministers of the Union for the Mediterranean, after Egypt said it would not participate if Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman was among the delegates. France and Egypt have shared presidency of the Euro-Med Union since 2008. The conference was scheduled to take place next month in Istanbul. However, a date has yet to set. The Union of the Mediterranean aims to promote economic, scientific and cultural projects in the participating states.

Egypt, Jordan and other Arab states have been boycotting Lieberman since he took office, with the rare exception of summits between the foreign minister and his Moroccan counterpart during the UN General Assembly, and a meeting with Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman.

A senior diplomat in Jerusalem addressed the matter on Monday and said, "It is a shame that Egypt sets itself as a negative element and uses a conference meant to develop the region as a political weapon against Foreign Minister Lieberman."