WORLD> Europe
EU-LAS dialogue begins in Austria
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-12-18 15:41

VIENNA -- The three-day EU (European Union)-LAS (League of Arab States) dialogue began in the Conference Center Hofburg of Vienna on Wednesday, with the two sides expected to focus on strengthening dialogues between different cultures and promoting sustainable multilateral cooperation and development.

Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger and LAS Secretary-general Amre Moussa hosted the opening session.

Moussa said in the opening speech that "cultural dialogue" instead of cultural collision is needed between the Arab world and Europe.

Spindelegger stressed that Europe and the Arab world have a common history, which includes confrontation and conflict, but "for the most time frequent exchanges and friendly co-existence."

Grilles Kepel, a French scholar on Islam, pointed out in his speech that the European Union, the Gulf countries and the Levant have their own advantages. The EU has high "creativity," the Gulf countries have strong "investment capacity," while the Levant owns abundant young labor force.

Therefore, he suggested, the three parties should establish a "triangular partnership," so as to further promote mutual development.

Yousriya Loza Sawiris, president of the Sawiris Foundation of Egypt, also said at the meeting that the Arab countries have a young demographic structure and strong future work force, while European countries are generally facing an aging society. In this sense, the idea of establishing partnership between European and Arab cities is worth considering.

On Thursday and Friday, high-ranking delegates including a few government ministers from EU and LAS will exchange views on a variety of issues, including the society, youth and women's roles.