The Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and of Immigration, Jean Asselborn, took part in the second Forum of the Alliance of civilizations, which took place Monday and Tuesday the 6th and April 7th, 2009 with the Ciragan palate in Istanbul. 

At the time of the second day of the forum, the minister took part in a roundtable which is leaning on the topic of the cost of the conflict in the Middle East, organized in partnership with the group Strategic Foresight (SFG). This group is an research institute which concentrates its work on the great geopolitical questions, economic and social of the contemporary world. SFG published an exhaustive report on precisely the cost of the conflict in the Middle East, report/ratio which was presented to the United Nations in Geneva on January 23rd, 2009.

Several leaders in the world have refers to the need for finding new approaches for the resolution of the prolonged conflicts. Thus, the report drawn up by SFG was used as a basis for the discussions of this roundtable. Among the panellists were Miguel Angel Moratinos, Foreign Minister of Spain, Sundeep Waslekar, president of the group Strategic Foresight, and Egemen Bagis, minister with the European Businesses and negotiator as a chief of Turkey for adhesion with the European Union (UE).

In a constructive atmosphere, the debates were chaired by Sundeep Waslekar and covered the projecting points of the israélo-Palestinian conflict. Co lonisation continued of Israel in the occupied territories, the blocking of the Gas Band, as well as rocket fires in the Israeli territories were the point-keys of the debate. The Asselborn minister insisted that, in spite of the construction of new districts by Israel, the solution in two States remains the only option for the stable Middle East in the future. Moreover, the chief of the Luxembourg diplomacy stressed that, in order to carry out constructive negotiations towards a peace between Israel and the Palestinian people, the process of Palestinian reconciliation must be constant by the international community, just like the government of national unit which will be established. Lastly, Mr. Asselborn also noted the importance of the part played by Syria in the conflict and the remainder of the area.

In margin of the forum, the Deputy Prime Minister also met Egemen Bagis, minister with the European Businesses and negotiator as a chief of Turkey for adhesion at the EU, for an interview. The two politicians S had an exchange of views on the crucial role played by Turkey in the israélo-Palestinian conflict and the current political situation in Cyprus. Moreover, they gave a progress report on the negotiations of accession of Turkey at the EU.