Around the World: France

Mediterranean club

The French president's vision of a Mediterranean union stretching from Europe to North Africa and the Middle East will be tested at a meeting starting yesterday to decide how the club would be run and where it would be based.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy launched the project to great fanfare in July with the aim of bolstering ties and securing peace across the region. But the grandiose mission faces manifold hurdles - including ongoing tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbors, key members in the new club.