Shoukry to attend Beirut meeting on ENP

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, who left for Beirut Tuesday to attend an Arab ministerial meeting due to be held on Wednesday for talks on the European Neighborhood Policy (ENP) which governs the relationship between the European Union and southern Mediterranean states.

Arab states are coordinating stances with regard to relations with the EU in view of joint interests, mutual respect and genuine partnership in addition to avoiding interference in states' internal affairs, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Badr Abdel Aati said.

Shoukry participated in an unofficial ENP meeting held in April in Barcelona between EU and southern Mediterranean countries, the spokesman said.

With Egypt in charge of Arab coordination in Euro-Med cooperation and holding the chairmanship of the Arab League, Shoukry held a meeting before the Barcelona gathering for coordinating Arab stands in this regard, the spokesman added.

The Beirut meeting is meant to continue these consultations, the spokesman said.