Thirty West European parliamentarians met here this weekend and set up an inter-parliamentary group to promote European cooperation with the Arab nations. At a press conference today, the group’s co-presidents, French Deputy Raymond Offroy (Gaullist) and English MP Christopher Mayhew (Labor), said the group’s first decision was to inform by letter the Arab heads of state as well as American Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger of the group’s existence and objectives.
These objectives include in particular, they said, encouraging all peace-making efforts in the Middle East and initiating long-term cooperation between the European Economic Community and the Arab world. Initial contacts between group delegates and Arab parliamentarians will be made at the forthcoming Parliamentary Union Conference to be held in Bucharest on April 15.
The Netherlands was conspicuously absent from the weekend meeting which included delegates from France, Belgium, West Germany, Denmark, Italy, Great Britain, and Ireland. Four Dutch parliamentarians declined the invitation to attend without stating their reasons.
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