(ANSAmed) - BARI, JANUARY 30 - "I think that there is a need for
a real and strong answer to the Arab Spring through a greater
political relationship between the two sides of the
Mediterranean". This is according to the co-president of ARLEM,
Mercedes Bresso, who has been speaking at a joint press
conference in Bari today with her fellow co-president, Mohamed
Boudra, and the president of the Puglia regional council, Nichi
Vendola. The meeting of the group of 16 partners of the
Mediterranean and the 84 partners of EU member states, featured
the issues of renewable energy, cultural heritage and the role
of small and medium-sized enterprises in the development of
economies. "The regional dimension is essential if we want to
give concrete answers and not stop at talking," Bresso said.
"ARLEM represents the political voice demanding a strong process
of regionalisation and decentralization of the Mediterranean,
which supports the ongoing processes of democratisation. The
atlas and the decentralised cooperation funds mean that we
manage to operate independently of external financing, even
though at the next round of European talks we believe that these
should be in place. ARLEM also aims to intensify the use of
resources in the neighbouring area to implement large-scale
projects and our report includes a proposal that would see
Euro-Mediterranean projects for bonds to potentially be issued
through various banks to finance projects," Bresso continued.
"We are also concentrating on training and are today signing two
agreements: one with the Euro-Mediterranean university for the
training of new executives for the Arab Spring, which is
essential, and the other with the European Agency to train and
instruct executives on local development policies," she added.
(ANSAmed).
