Jordan Times
Thursday, March 11, 2004

'Jordan, other Arab states plan to relaunch Beirut summit initiative'

By Alia Shukri Hamzeh

The initiative calls on Arab countries to normalise ties with Israel in return for the Jewish state's total withdrawal from Arab lands occupied in the 1967 war.

King Abdullah told visiting British Minister of State for the Middle East Baroness Symons that any reforms in the Middle East should be based on finding a just solution for the Palestinian cause. In reference to the US announced plans for reforms in the Middle East, the King said any such changes should stem from the regional countries' themselves and correspond with the beliefs, surroundings and aspirations of their peoples.

Talks between the Monarch and the British official focused on means to revive the peace process and halt violence in the Palestinian territories.

She later told a press conference that reforms have to come from within the region, saying that such developments are important for the countries "in question as well as for the partnerships they forge."

The proposed US plan for democracy in the Middle East spurred controversy, as many in the region regarded it as part of US efforts to enforce change and touch on cultural models. Others criticised the "Greater Middle East Initiative" for political reform in Arab and Muslim countries — which will be presented to the upcoming Group of Eight summit in June — as one that completely ignores the Israeli-Palestinian issue.

"You cannot impose reform on anyone, that has to come from within the region. I've seen an increasing number of people in the region talking about reforms, about the way the economies could be run better, more trading relationships and what could be done in respect of education and civil society," Symons said. "We recognise the enormous differences between countries of the region and we do not for one moment think that one size fits all. It doesn't.”

The minister said the UK regards help in reforms as a partnership, "where things happen through consultations with the parties concerned."

Symons, who is visiting Jordan for the second time since summer 2003, arrived here late Monday for talks with Jordanian officials and taking part in a regional meeting of British ambassadors.

The official said the British government was looking forward to seeing what comes out of the upcoming Arab summit in Tunis on the Middle East peace process and on the issues about partnerships in the future. "We hope to be able to pick up some of the issues which will be focused on in the Arab summit and see what work we can do in partnership with regional countries."

Symons praised Jordan's drive for democratic and economic reforms, saying "an extraordinary" degree of progress has been made on these issues.

"We match the efforts on reforms with efforts over the Middle East question," said Symons. She quoted remarks made by British Minister of Foreign Affairs Jack Straw saying "this is not an issue of putting Israel and Palestine on one side while we deal with other issues, but the two issues are absolutely inter-linked and go together."

Symons stressed that the roadmap was the right way forward.

"The UK government remains very committed to the two-state solution and the roadmap. But of course there have been a number of problems with the roadmap, and in some ways I think many people believe that neither side has fulfilled its commitments under the roadmap," she said. The minister added that the British government has been engaged in dialogue with both sides to try and find ways to move forward, saying if the process stalls, it would go backwards and the spiral of violence would go on.

"We do not think it is a viable option to simply sit back and watch this dissolve into a complete standoff because that would lead to even greater violence and we have seen even in the most recent days violence which tears apart ordinary people's lives. This has to be addressed," she told reporters.

Commenting on Israel's announced plans for a unilateral withdrawal from Gaza Strip by dismantling settlements, Symons said any such moves are welcomed. But she stressed that such a withdrawal should be seen as part of the roadmap and as something that was negotiated.

She expressed her country's interest, as well as that of other countries, to find out how this plan would emerge and its implications on Gazans and the settlers there.

On Hamas' announcement of a plan to manage the Gaza Strip after a possible Israeli withdrawal, Symons said: "Sensitive and key issues should be talked about by all sides." "I think there will be a push for shared responsibility on the international basis," she said, adding that it would be "unwise to say that a particular group with a particular history should just move in and take over control."

News agencies quoted Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin as saying on Wednesday that the group's proposal would "touch on the different aspects of life — political, social and administrative."

Other Hamas officials explained that the group would pursue contacts with other Palestinian factions in order to reach an agreement that would "govern relations in the Gaza Strip in such a way as to preserve the security of the Palestinian people and fend off those who would hurt our people," Agence France-Presse said.

The officials also indicated that a dialogue with the Palestinian Authority would also take place in order to reach a consensus.

Hamas rejects the 1993 Oslo peace accords with Israel and has refused to participate in the territories' administration.

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon last month proposed a unilateral disengagement plan by which Israeli settlements in Gaza would be dismantled. This would include the evacuation of 17 out of 21 Jewish settlements in the Gaza Strip and several others in the West Bank.

Palestinians, however, maintain that under the unilateral separation plan, Israel would trade in Gaza for permanent control over areas of the West Bank.

Symons said Hamas should understand that both the Israelis and the Palestinians want to reach a clear understanding with regard to the control of the strip.

She said Israel's separation barrier has been a major bone of contention, adding that the problem was not with barrier itself but rather where it is being built.

"Israel does have legitimate security concerns but the way in which they have built the security wall is unlawful, because it is being built on the wrong side of the 1967 line." But, she added, Israel has said it is reviewing the way in which the barrier is being built.

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