 |
|
Moussa
said an independent
Palestine
“is a must” if the
US
initiative is to have any chance of working (AFP)
|
By
Mariam Al-Tigy, IOL Correspondent
RABAT,
December 12 (IslamOnline.net) – Arab countries that participated in
the US-sponsored Forum for the Future dodged, at least for now,
western pressure for reforms by linking the process to the settlement
of the Arab-Israeli conflict, to the dissatisfaction of Washington.
They,
however, managed to garner support from the developed countries for a
host of economic proposals to enhance development and economic reform.
“The
participants agreed their support for reforms in the region will occur
in parallel with their support for finding a solution to the
Palestinian conflict,”
Morocco
's Foreign Minister Mohamed Ben Issa told a press conference after the
forum Saturday, December 11.
Arab
League Secretary General Amr Moussa also said the situation in the
Palestinian territories and
Iraq
had caused delay to reforms in the Arab countries.
He
said the Tunis Arab summit had adopted a resolution on stepping up
reforms in Arab countries but the Arab-Israeli conflict and occupation
of
Iraq
had blocked the process.
Moussa
underlined the importance of finding a solution to the two conflicts
to help step up the hoped-for reforms in the region.
“We
should call here for a comprehensive, permanent and lasting peace in
the
Middle East
that would be based on all levels of development,” he told
participants.
He
stressed that an independent
Palestine
“is a must” if the
US
initiative is to have any chance of working.
German
Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer seemed to agree.
“Progress
in the
Middle East
process will lend all reform and modernization efforts in the Arab
world unprecedented momentum,” he said.
The
one-day forum was hosted
by Rabat Saturday with the participation of foreign and
finance ministers from more than 20 countries of the Middle East and
North Africa
. Counterparts from the G8 countries -- the
United States
,
France
,
Britain
,
Germany
,
Italy
,
Japan
,
Canada
and
Russia
-- plus representatives of international organizations also showed up.
Dissatisfied
Washington
 |
|
“Now
is not the time to argue about the pace of democratic reform or
whether economic reform must precede political reform,” Powell
said (AFP)
|
However,
outgoing US State Secretary Colin Powell expressed opposition to the
linkage between
Mideast
peace and reforms.
“Now
is not the time to argue about the pace of democratic reform or
whether economic reform must precede political reform,” Powell said.
“Increasing
opportunities for all citizens, especially women, should not be put on
hold to deal with other concerns.”
“We
can't keep pointing to the Middle East peace process as the reason we
won't undertake reform efforts that are needed,” Powell told
reporters accompanying him to
Morocco
.
The
forum is the centerpiece of the so-called Partnership for Progress and
a Common Future with the Region of the Broader Middle East and North
Africa (BMENA).
The
initiative was launched by US President George Bush and leaders of the
G8, along with leaders of seven countries from the region, at the 2004
G8 summit at Sea Island, Georgia, US.
Washington
considers reforms essential in the Arab and Muslim world to ease
frustrations and prejudices that it claims breed terrorism.
But
the initial
US
plan, known as the Greater Middle East Initiative, provoked an outcry
from many governments in the targeted countries where anti-American
feelings were and still are running high over
Iraq
and
Washington
's perceived bias towards
Israel
.
Saudi Arabia
and
Egypt
have led
opposition to the plan that many Arab leaders also
decried for not placing enough emphasis on the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, which most see as the main destabilizing factor in the
region.
Economically
Successful
On
the economic scale, the participants endorsed a number of proposals
put forward by the Arab countries, on enhancing economic reform and
development in the region.
Chiefly
among the Arab proposals adopted was a plan to establish a fund to
finance the proposals discussed in the forum.
Participants
also backed a proposal on a three-year cooperation program between
Middle East
and North African countries, on one hand, and the Group of Eight, on
the other, in tandem with the Organization for Economic Cooperation
and Development (OECD) and the World Bank.
They
also underlined the importance of promoting the role of the
Middle East
and North African countries in the World Trade Organization (WTO).
Participants
agreed to hold another forum next year in
Bahrain
,but agreed on no date.
Egypt
invited foreign ministers of Arab League and industrialized Group of
Eight countries to meet in
Cairo
on March 3 and 4.
“The
meeting will provide an opportunity for an exchange of views on the
implementation of development, modernization and reform plans and
programs,” a closing statement said.
