EU High Representative for the CFSP to visit the Middle East region – EU press release/Non-UN document

Brussels, 10 February 2006

S044/06

PRESS INFORMATION

Javier SOLANA,

EU High Representative for the CFSP,

to visit the Middle-East region

Javier SOLANA, EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), will visit the Middle-East region from Monday, 13 February to Thursday, 16 February 2006.

HR Solana will begin his tour in Saudi Arabia, where he will be received by His Majesty King ABDALLAH bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud and will meet, among others, with the Foreign Minister Prince SAUD Al-Faisal. On Monday, in Jeddah, Mr Solana will have talks with the Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Ekmeleddin IHSANOGLU, following their joint statement made this week with the United Nations Secretary-General.

In Cairo, Mr Solana will meet with Egyptian President Hosni MUBARAK, as well as with Foreign Minister Ahmed ABOUL GHEIT and the Secretary-General of the Arab League, Amre MOUSSA.

He will also visit Al Azhar University to meet its head, Sheikh Muhammad Sayyid TANTAWI. Mr Solana will also visit Jordan, where he will be received by His Majesty King ABDULLAH II and will meet with Foreign Minister Abdelelah M. AL-KHATIB.

At the end of the trip, Mr Solana will meet with Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud ABBAS in the Palestinian Territories. In Israel, he will meet with the Israeli Foreign Minister, Ms Tzipi LIVNI.

The High Representative will be visiting the Middle-East region in the aftermath of the publication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed and the violent events that ensued. He will be meeting leading figures of the Arab and Islamic worlds for talks aimed at promoting dialogue and restoring and furthering relations of friendship and mutual respect between Europe and the Islamic world. In the Palestinian Territories, Mr Solana will review with Palestinian leaders the situation following the recent elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and developments concerning the formation of a new government committed to the Middle-East peace process.

Note to journalists: further details of the programme for the tour will be published as soon as they are finalised.

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