Maghreb (Hansard, 6 May 2004)

§ Mr. Gordon Marsden
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the countries of the Maghreb about assistance with the development of financial and banking institutions under the framework of the Euromed and Barcelona processes. [170306]

§ Mr. MacShane
We have no bilateral assistance programmes to the countries of the Maghreb, and have therefore had no direct discussions with them about assistance for the development of banking and financial institutions. But Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for International Development officials do discuss such matters, and other aspects of economic development, with members of the EuroMed Partnership (which includes the countries of the Maghreb) under the economic and financial chapter of the Barcelona Process.

§ Mr. Gordon Marsden
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to take forward the Euromed process in the context of(a) the G8 summit in June, (b) the US-EU summit in June and (c) the NATO summit in June, with specific reference to the countries of the Maghreb. [170307]

§ Mr. MacShane
As the Barcelona Process is an equal partnership between its 35 members (the EU, the Maghreb and Israel, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Turkey and the Palestinian Authority), it would not be appropriate to take the process forward in other fora. The Government will work with others to ensure that any discussions relating to the region with NATO, the G8 or at the EU-US Summit are consistent with the objectives of EuroMed. At the Istanbul Summit in June, Allies are expected to agree a package of measures to enhance security co-operation between NATO and the seven members of the Mediterranean Dialogue. We believe that by operating in its area of expertise, and focussing on practical co-operation, NATO's strengthened partnership will complement the Barcelona Process.

§ Mr. Gordon Marsden
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department has to increase engagement with non-EU Mediterranean countries in the context of the Barcelona Process, with specific reference to the countries of the Maghreb. [170309]

§ Mr. MacShane
The Maghreb is a region of increasing importance to the UK. As part of the UK's engagement with the non-EU members of the Barcelona Process, we will host, jointly with Morocco, a EuroMed Conference to look at the social consequences of economic reform in Marrakech on 20–21 May.