PARIS - More than 40 leaders meeting in Paris on Sunday launched a new Union for the Mediterranean, aimed at boosting ties across the region, French President Nicolas Sarkozy said.
"It is a great satisfaction to announce to you... that the summit for the Union for the Mediterranean has ended and that it has unanimously adopted a declaration," Sarkozy told a press conference.
"It was an extraordinary gamble to bring together in the same room all the European states and all the countries of the southern rim of the Mediterranean.
"It was extraordinary to imagine the Arab states of the Mediterranean, represented at the highest level of leadership, with the Israeli prime minister.
"It is a great initiative that has been born. We have to complete it now and then take it on further," said Sarkozy, who championed the new union as France took the helm of the European Union presidency.
Flanked by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon, Sarkozy earlier urged the Mediterranean leaders -- representing some 756 million people -- to set aside their differences and work toward a common future.
Mubarak, who co-chaired the summit with Sarkozy, said he was "certain that this union, this initiative will be fruitful."
"We are certain that a new page will open in this cooperation that will lead us toward more peace," said the Egyptian president.
The newly-created union is to concentrate on joint projects, rather than political goals, but it is also seen as a forum to promote peace in the Middle East.
The summit saw Arab leaders including Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seated at the same table as Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, boosting hopes for peace in the volatile region.
ec/cml/jj
07/13/2008 18:04 GMT