Paris, December 6, SPA -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel withdrew hercriticism of French President Nicolas Sarkozy's plan for aMediterranean Union, saying Thursday in Paris that she and the Frenchhead of state were in agreement on the proposal, according to DPA. After talks with Sarkozy in the French capital, Merkel said shesupported his initiative on an affiliation of European and Africannations along the Mediterranean rim. "The Mediterranean Union is a challenge for all of us in Europe,"she said. But all European countries must be offered the opportunityto participate in it, she said, adding that those who did not want tojoin must be offered a "special partnership." The two leaders said that negotiations would be initiated on theproposal, which has been criticized by several countries in Europeand North Africa. On Wednesday, after Sarkozy had broached the issue in Algeria,Merkel had said that the Mediterranean Union could lead to "acorrosion of the EU in its core area" and "could release explosivepowers in the EU." On Thursday, she said that this declaration was not intended ascriticism, and that she only wanted to point out the danger that onepart of Europe could orient itself towards the east and anothertowards the south. Merkel said she wanted to prevent a situation in which Germanygravitated towards north-eastern Europe and France moved closer tothe south. Sarkozy agreed, saying: "This has nothing to do with creating anew Europe." --SPA www.spa.gov.sa/506855