Jordan Times
Thursday, March 4, 2004
'US backing reforms, not imposing them'
By Mahmoud Al Abed
AMMAN, March 4 - A visiting US envoy said here on Wednesday Washington does not plan to impose reforms on the Arab world, but seeks ideas and means to support changes on the ground.
“We are not here with a one-size-fits-all plan,” US undersecretary of state for political affairs, Marc Grossman, told the press at the US embassy, echoing that reforms must come from within.
Grossman explained that the US administration is aware of the local atmosphere of each Arab country and that Washington wants to cooperate with governments and civil society institutions to work out “ideas of freedom and dignity.”
“This is the only way to face the threat of extremism and terrorism,” he said.
The official stressed that the so-called “Greater Middle East Initiative” is not a substitute for the US efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“It is fair to say that the conversation about reforms will not weigh until there is peace” in the region, he said.
Grossman arrived from Bahrain after visiting Morocco and Egypt. He is expected to go to Turkey before heading for Brussels to brief EU partners on his tour.
He hoped that the Arab leaders would adopt the ideas for reform in their Tunis summit this month.
The regional ideas for reforms will be presented to the NATO meeting in Turkey and the G-8 summit in June.
The US official hailed ongoing changes in Jordan, Morocco and Bahrain, saying that these countries are taking a leadership role.
Earlier Wednesday, Prime Minister Faisal Fayez held talks with Grossman and reiterated Jordan's rejection of “reforms imposed from outside.”
Fayez briefed the envoy on the Kingdom's ongoing political, socio-economic and educational reforms — “which all came as a response to local needs.” The premier also highlighted Jordan's efforts to reform the judiciary and to enhance the status of women in the society, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.
Several Arab countries, including Egypt and Saudi Arabia, have criticized the initiative, fearing that Washington wants to impose its own cultural models on the region.