This meeting is an opportunity to exchange ideas and propose new initiatives that would enable the re-building of ties between Europe and North Africa on a new partnership basis.

   Held under the theme "sustainable development: a new dialogue between Europe and North Africa", Kronberg Talks are attended by government officials, MPs, businessmen, academics and representatives of civil society from Europe and North Africa.

    At the opening of the meeting, organized in collaboration with the German Foundation Bertelsmann, Moroccan Foreign Minister, Taïb Fassi Fihri, called on the European Union to consider the best means of promoting democracy, openness and solidarity in common denominators that should be shared by Europe and North Africa.

    Describing as essential Europe’s support for progress in the Arab world, he said that ongoing changes in many countries, such as Tunisia and Egypt, are promising but they may result in numerous risk, therefore the EU’s support is very vital to overcome these difficulties.

    The Minister also stressed the importance of cooperation within the framework of a joint economic space, from north to south and vice versa, given that countries of the region have all the needed potential to meet this challenge.

    He urged, in this regard, Europe to open up new markets in order to contribute to the creation of such economic space.

    He also said that Morocco-EU relations should be strengthened notably in the light of the advanced status enjoyed by Morocco in its relations with the Union, and in view of the democratic values shared between the two parties.

    On the other hand, Fassi Fihri deplored the fact that “twenty years after its creation, the Arab Maghreb Union has not yet reached any tangible results,” saying that the normalization of relations between Morocco and Algeria is an “inevitable act".

    For his part, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, described as “historic” the developments in Morocco and the Arab world, highlighting the importance of finding solutions for the problems of certain Arab countries as a way to reinforce democracy and make a break with the past.

    The EU, politically and economically, supports all the countries that opted for democracy and change, like Morocco Tunisia and Egypt, he added.

    Morocco has opted, several years ago, for freedom and democracy, the German official said, praising avant-garde initiatives undertaken by HM King Mohammed VI in terms of the promotion of women's rights, separation of powers and independence of justice.

    Westerwelle also called for boosting Moroccan-German relations notably in the area of renewable and clean energy, noting that his country supports the Moroccan energy strategy.