France has drawn praise but also some scepticism from media in the Mediterranean region and Middle East beyond, following its launch of the Union for the Mediterranean.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy and his Egyptian counterpart Hosni Mubarak co-chaired a Paris summit on Sunday, where the union - aimed at forging stronger regional links - was inaugurated.
MAJID AL-HAJIJ IN SYRIA'S RULING PARTY ORGAN AL-BA'TH
Will this Union for the Mediterranean be able to find a comprehensive and just solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, and reach a peace agreement before the end of 2008? Or will the situation remain as it is and merely add to the financial and administrative burdens on the Euro-Mediterranean partnership?
EDITORIAL IN QATAR'S INDEP, PRO-GOVT AL-WATAN
This summit represents an important opportunity to launch a number of pioneer projects from which many countries will benefit ... But the problem lies in the political differences, because what is primarily required is to work to reinstate peace in the Middle East.
DR JAMAL ABD-AL-JAWAD IN EGYPT'S OPPOSITION NAHDAT MISR
The Union for the Mediterranean is the new form of the French opened window between the Arabs and the West ... Sarkozy's France has become capable of occupying a middle position between Arabs on the one hand and the US and Israel on the other.
ILIAS SIHAB IN LEBANON'S INDEPENDENT, LEFTIST AL-SAFIR
The first sign that the European creators of this project are not serious is that this project calls for establishing a regional framework comprising some Arab countries and Israel, before even finding a European solution to the Palestinian cause.
MUSIB NU' AYMI IN IRAN'S AL-VEFAGH
How could a partnership be established between those who adopt colonialist ideologies, and those who want to save their countries from the danger of colonialism? The building of artificial unions and organisations will not lead to peace and security in the region.
SHIMON SCHIFFER IN ISRAEL'S LARGEST CIRCULATION YEDIOT AHARONOT
The conference of the Mediterranean countries Nicolas Sarkozy has convened will be remembered as the summit at which Syrian President Bashar Assad came out of his international isolation ... Despite the optimism no handshakes were recorded and Assad left the room during [Israeli Prime Minister Ehud] Olmert's speech ... Syria will make no gestures of goodwill towards the Israelis before the Golan Heights return to Syrian sovereignty.
MAYA BENGAL IN ISRAEL'S CENTRE-RIGHT MA'ARIV
French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who is serving as a rotating president of the EU, is interested in turning France and the EU into a very dominant factor in the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians, and also with Syria ... It seems that Sarkozy is determined not to leave the arena to the US administration alone.
ABDELKAMEL K IN ALGERIA'S LIBERAL, INDEP LIBERTE
The end result of the Union for the Mediterranean summit on 13 July will call for many compromises among the various parties. From concession to concession, French President Nicolas Sarkozy gathered some 40 heads of state and government around a table, where everybody seems to have agreed to put aside troublesome issues.
ALI BABES IN ALGERIA'S INDEP LE QUOTIDIEN D'ORAN
Inevitably, with the presence of Syrian President Assad, Ehud Olmert, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the birth of the Union for the Mediterranean was always going to be overshadowed by the issue of peace in the Middle East.
SEMIH IDIZ IN TURKEY'S CENTRIST MILLIYET
It is doubtful whether France, which causes suspicion rather than excitement in the region, can solve the enormous problems in the area. Even though the French do not like the idea, Turkey, whose political profile is rising in the region, has a much better chance of achieving this.
ERDAL SAFAK IN TURKEY'S CENTRIST SABAH
The success of the Union for the Mediterranean summit and France's credibility in the Middle East will depend on two conditions: firstly, the acceptance of the US to include Europe in Middle East peace talks; and secondly, Turkey's willingness to implement France's policies in the region.
ETIENNE MOUGEOTTE IN FRANCE'S CENTRE-RIGHT LE FIGARO
A constant friend of Israel and loyal ally of the US, French President Nicolas Sarkozy made this two-fold loyalty an asset vis-a-vis the Arab world, by standing as guarantor for a balanced solution to the conflict and supporting the establishment of a Palestinian state ... Whatever the inevitable future repercussions and crises, Sarkozy's initiative is a milestone in the chaotic history of the Middle East.
EDITORIAL IN FRANCE'S LE MONDE
The blame must be put at the door of the divisions and conflicts affecting the Mediterranean area, and not just the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Sarkozy's initiative is nevertheless praiseworthy. Just because previous attempts have failed does not mean that a new venture should not be tried.
BBC Monitoring selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.
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