6 December 2007… Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs, Ambassador Fatma El-Zhraaa Etman held consultations, within the framework of Barcelona Process, with Slovenian Coordinator, Ambassador/ Feronic Sptay, and her accompanying delegation from the European commissariat and the European Council, as well as senior officials from the Sectors concerned with Euro/Mediterranean Cooperation at the Foreign Ministry. The consultations were held shortly before her Slovenia's presidency over the EU as effective from January 1st 2008. The Slovenian Coordinator reviewed her country's priorities concerned with Euro/Mediterranean Cooperation, and the meetings scheduled to be held within the framework of various fields such as (tourism, finance, commerce, culture, health, communication, and information technology). Ambassador, Fatma El-Zahraa emphasized on the importance of abiding by the central approach of the Barcelona Process, as it represents one of the fundamentals of reinforcing relations and cooperation ties between the EU and the South Mediterranean. The Ambassador also highlighted the importance of the other initiatives of enriching the Barcelona Process and maintaining the privacy of the Mediterranean region, rather than compete with it. The Consultation Session, moreover, tackled the Egyptian efforts and the steps undertaken, within the framework of preparing for the Second Euro/Mediterranean Conference of the information Society, that will be hosted by Egypt on February 26th and 27th 2008, under the Slovenian Presidency, and the first Euro/Mediterranean Conference on health in the Second half of 2008, under the French Presidency.