Jordan Times
Sunday, March 28, 2004

Arab FMs discuss reforms, peace

By Alia Shukri Hamzeh

Addressing a press conference following Saturday morning's session, Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa said the committee tried to merge several drafts presented by different countries including Jordan and Egypt into one blueprint with guidelines and principles agreed to by all Arab states.

The two days of meetings, described as stormy, witnessed differences between delegates over the suggested reforms and the priority of issues to be discussed at Arab summit scheduled to start Monday.

Musa said such differences were normal in any discussion regarding issues of concern to the region. But he noted that the Arab countries were in consensus over the need for political reforms. A document tackling the reconstruction of the Arab League, was also being discussed by a special committee Saturday afternoon.

Disagreements were also reported as foreign ministers sought to find a way to breathe life into the Arab peace initiative despite expressed Syrian concerns and objections, demanding that Arabs assume a firm position on Israel.

A third committee was reportedly assigned with drafting a formula for settling the Palestinian conflict with Israel based on the Saudi peace initiative presented at the 2002 Beirut summit and the internationally supported roadmap to peace.

Musa told reporters Saturday Arab countries were committed to the peace initiative as a strategic option and would not backtrack on this position.

He said ensuring peace and stability in the region by settling the Palestinian-Israeli conflict goes hand-in-hand with social and political reforms. Arab leaders had expressed intentions to relaunch the land-for-peace plan as proposed in the Saudi initiative.

The leaders were expected to build on the initiative which offers Israel normal relations in return for withdrawal from land it seized in the 1967 Middle East war. Musa said the peace initiative remains the official position of Arab states but that a willing partner was missing.

Musa's press conference was delayed for several hours due to what officials said was an emergency meeting.

Differences between delegates surfaced from the first session on Friday. Among other disagreements was a conflict over an Egyptian-Jordanian document proposing a set of guidelines for reforms in the Middle East. Some ministers suggested postponing political reforms in favour of addressing what they said were more pressing matters such as the volatile Palestinian-Israeli situation.

Syria and Lebanon opposed the discussion of reforms, and demanded instead that the summit adopt a firm position against Israel, by calling for its withdrawal from Arab territories seized after the 1967 war.

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouq Sharaa led the calls insisting that Israel be punished for last week's assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Both Syria and Lebanon also maintained that a recent proposal by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for a unilateral withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and a dismantling of Jewish settlements there should be considered within the framework of the roadmap.

Jordan presented its own reform plan at a meeting in Cairo earlier this month but later withdrew the proposals, which were incorporated into the Egyptian draft.

Ministers from other countries, however, supported the Egyptian reform document — which tackles all basic human rights requirements including women's rights, civil liberties, judicial reforms, economic modernisation and the promotion of knowledge and awareness — as crucial and corresponding with public demands to achieve a just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher stressed upon arrival here that reforms were a priority of the summit, saying a blueprint to that effect would be set.

The Arab reform plan is regarded as part of Arab governments' attempts to abort a recently launched US plan for reforms in the region. Washington's proposed "Greater Middle East Initiative" stipulates that the absence of democracy and human rights in some countries in the area could serve as fertile ground for terrorists. The plan spurred controversy, as many in the region regarded it as part of efforts for change and influence cultural models. Others criticised it for ignoring the Israeli-Palestinian issue, which is viewed by leaders, politicians, academics and humanitarian organisations as the core problem in the Middle East.

"What we need is a partner (for peace) and what is sure is that this Israeli government is not a partner," Musa reiterated.

"Its behaviour does not serve the cause of peace," he said. But he added, this would not preclude the discussion of regional and Arab League reform and modernisation plans.

"The Arab world has long been waiting for this process to begin," he added.

The need for such reforms now seemed more urgent to some countries than before, one delegate said.

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