(Guardian-UK) Phoebe Greenwood - The EU will offer Israel upgraded trade and diplomatic relations in more than 60 areas at a high-level meeting in Brussels on Tuesday. The EU will widen its relationship with Jerusalem in such areas as migration, energy and agriculture. It will remove obstacles impeding Israel's access to European government-controlled markets and enhance Israel's co-operation with nine EU agencies, including Europol and the European Space Agency. The boost to bilateral relations stops just short of the full upgrade that was frozen after Israel's invasion of Gaza in January 2009. "The upgrade process may be frozen but both parties are finding ways to increase cooperation when it suits them," said Paul Hirschson, a spokesman for the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
2012-07-24 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive