Europe faces risks with unrest in Arab world

Press quote (Reuters)
Clara Marina O'Donnell
17 February 2011

"The European Union has been struggling to find an appropriate policy to apply to North Africa and the Middle East," said Clara O'Donnell of the Centre for European Reform. "We are really at a point where there will be lots of difficult questions and I think right now the EU is clearly uncertain how it's going to address them." ..."There is a risk that things go very badly," said O'Donnell. "Depending on how the transitions develop there could be significant civil unrest and violence in various North African regions." ..."Civil unrest can spill over into other countries and contribute potentially to further radicalisation of certain groups and it can have very significant spill over effects on the Middle East peace process," said O'Donnell. "The problem is that the few incentives the EU could offer - liberalising trade in agricultural goods and facilitating free movement of people - it has been very averse to deliver."