On behalf of the select committee, I welcome the Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Deputy Kitt, and his officials. This is the first occasion on which the Minister of State has appeared before the committee and we look forward to working with him in the future.
The purpose of today's meeting is to consider two motions that have been referred to the committee. The first refers to Euro-Mediterranean agreements establishing an association between the EU, Egypt, Lebanon and Algeria and the second relates to the Convention on the Marking of Plastic Explosives for the Purpose of Detection. I propose that we deal first with the Euro-Mediterranean agreements that establish an association between the EU and Egypt, Lebanon and Algeria. I invite the Minister to make his opening statement.