Libya, Tunisia And Egypt Consider Cancelling Travel Visas For Citizens

Tunisian, Libyan and Egyptian foreign ministers agree to deepen cooperation, with each country now considering whether to allow their citizens to travel without the need for visas

Egypt, Tunisia and Libya will consider whether to allow citizens to travel among the three countries without the need for a visa. Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi is investigating the suggestion.

This comes after Egyptian, Tunisian and Libyan foreign ministers issued what they call the “Cairo Declaration” on Sunday from Egypt’s foreign affairs ministry. The declaration is an agreement towards political and economic cooperation.

Pan-Arab objectives were emphasised as well as the importance of good coordination to reach their objectives. The three ministers further welcomed any Arab country that is willing to participate in the consulting process.

The activation of joint economic cooperation would continue. The Arab Spring countries are trying to get their economies back to full capacity after instabilities caused by their respective revolutions. Through the Cairo Declaration they hope to facilitate commerce or encourage capital investments and working capital, which is considered to be the first step to achieve a cohesive Arabic economic market.

The trio stressed the importance of reinforcing cooperation in security, especially on the borders, in fighting terrorism, drug smuggling and illegal migration. The economy at the borders will be developed to address some of these security and migration issues.

On Syria, the ministers expressed their concern over human and living conditions that Syrians are experiencing lately. They also verbalised their support for Arab League Council demands made at the Doha meeting, namely, that the Syrian government cease all violence immediately and start implementing Arabian and international initiatives to support a new transitional phase to a free, democratic system that serves the expectations of the Syrian people and protects Syria’s unity.

Regarding Palestine, the foreign ministers stressed the importance of intra-Palestinian dialogue and unity. They offered all the support possible to establish a Palestinian state on lands occupied since June 1967 and further objected to all forms of occupation.

Mubasher