Jordan Times
Wednesday, June 2, 2004
Arabs ready for dialogue as distinct bloc Muasher
By Alia Shukri Hamzeh
AMMAN His Majesty King Abdullah will explain to the G-8 nations that Arabs are
ready for dialogue with them but not through a wider definition of a Greater
Mideast, a senior official said Tuesday.
The main point the King will make clear is that we are ready and indeed call
for a dialogue with the outside world including the G-8 just as we have dialogue
with many other groups in the world such as the EU, Foreign Minister Marwan
Muasher told a press conference yesterday.
King Abdullah will attend next week's Group of Eight industrialised nations
summit, which is expected to discuss the future of war-torn Iraq, the
Arab-Israeli peace process, the international war against terrorism and
political reforms in the region
But we feel that the dialogue is best conducted between the G-8 and the Arab
world not through a wider definition of the Greater Middle East where we do not
share sometimes the same common interests or even the mechanisms to translate
these interests into specific programmes, Muasher added, referring to
Washington's Greater Middle East Initiative.
The initiative, which presses for political reforms in the region under claims
it was fertile ground for terrorism, was widely criticised for seeking to impose
change from outside, failing to address the Arab-Israeli conflict and targeting
Islam by incorporating non-Muslim countries into the plan.
Muasher noted that the reform document or set of principles for human rights
adopted during last month's Arab summit would be presented to the G-8 summit.
The document, which stresses on the importance of political, economic, judicial
and social reforms as well as enhanced human rights, is in harmony with the US
initiative on the need for reforms and that they should come from within.
According to the minister, the document was a clear indication that the region
is capable of launching a serious process of reforms that are totally in tandem
with all the universal human rights principles.
We are not talking about reform in the abstract anymore but have specific
principles that we have all committed to, he added.
The declaration of principles has yet to be translated into several plans of
action depending on the specific conditions of each Arab country.
Muasher said there was coordination between Jordan, Bahrain, Egypt and Saudi
Arabia on the reform document.
Leaders of Bahrain, Jordan, Yemen, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Algeria were invited
to the summit. Egypt and Saudi Arabia reportedly declined.
Meanwhile, Muasher said Jordan would be ready to exploit its good relations with
the US to help solve the recent impasse with Syria, if the neighbouring country
requests such mediation.
The US last month slapped economic and diplomatic sanctions on Damascus under
claims Syria was backing terrorist groups and seeking to develop weapons of mass
destruction. On the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, Muasher said there was some
progress on the political front in order to try to get back to the peace
process.
We have now discussion taking place between Egyptians, Israelis, Palestinians,
Jordanians that would render the Gaza plan acceptable to the involved parties,
he said.
He pointed out that Jordan and Egypt will not send forces to Gaza and the West
Bank to help ensure security or train Palestinians unless there was a ceasefire,
full Israeli withdrawal from the Strip and occupied territories and an
implementation of the whole phases of the Quartet-backed roadmap to peace.
If this criteria is met, then we are ready to do our part in making sure that
the peace process is resumed and that progress is made on the ground, he said.