Løkke Rasmussen joins Mediterranean meeting 

Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen Sunday traveled to Barcelona to discuss the situation in Israel and Palestine with colleagues from several leading European, Arab and Muslim countries, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
     Foreign ministers from a wide range of European, Arab and Muslim countries will meet on Sunday and Monday in Barcelona. The agenda centres on the situation in Israel and Palestine. Minister for Foreign Affairs Lars Løkke Rasmussen said: “It is a good thing that we now have an extended humanitarian pause in the fighting in Gaza. Hopefully, the parties can reach an agreement to extend it further.” He added: “But the situation is still heartbreaking, not least for the many civilians. The Arab countries, as neighbours of both Israel and Palestine, can play a decisive role in the future. This applies to getting aid into Gaza, the release of more hostages as well as the prospect of real negotiations on a two-state solution.”
     “I look forward to an honest and constructive talk about the conflict with my Arab, Muslim and European colleagues in the coming days,” Løkke Rasmussen said in the press release. At the meeting, the foreign ministers of Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy and Spain, among others, will be present from the European side. It is expected that the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Palestine, Jordan and Lebanon will be among the participants from the Arab and Muslim countries.  The meeting officially takes place in the so-called Union for the Mediterranean, a regional forum bringing together the 27 EU countries and 15 southern and eastern Mediterranean countries. /um.dk/