EU strategy report seeks balanced engagement in the Gulf

BRUSSELS, June 29 (KUNA) -- EU High Representative Federica Mogherini presented Tuesday night the EU Global Strategy on foreign and security policy to EU leaders, meeting in Brussels and also to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg who attended part of the EU summit. "Wherever I travel, our partners expect the European Union to play a major role, including as a global security provider. We will deliver on our citizens' needs and make our partnerships work only if we act together, united. This is exactly the aim of the Global Strategy for European Foreign and Security Policy," she said in a statement.
The 55-page strategy under the title Shared Vision, Common Action: A Stronger Europe, offers a strategic vision for the EU's global role.
It said that "the EU will pursue balanced engagement in the Gulf. It will continue to cooperate with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and individual Gulf countries." The EU, said the strategy, "will deepen dialogue with Iran and GCC countries on regional conflicts, human rights and counter-terrorism, seeking to prevent contagion of existing crises and foster the space for cooperation and diplomacy." It stated that "in light of the growing interconnections between North and sub- Saharan Africa, as well as between the Horn of Africa and the Middle East, the EU will support cooperation across these sub-regions. This includes fostering triangular relationships across the Red Sea between Europe, the Horn and the Gulf to face shared security challenges and economic opportunities." The EU, according to the strategy, will foster dialogue and negotiation over regional conflicts such as those in Syria and Libya.
On the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the EU will work closely with the Quartet, the Arab League, and all key stakeholders to preserve the prospect of a viable two-state solution based on 1967, it said. (end) nk.nfm