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'The Partnership for Progress and a Common Future with the Region of the Broader Middle East and North Africa', cuts out a long preamble lamenting the current social and economic conditions in the Arab world Jordan Times, Friday, June4 , 2004 CAIRO (Reuters) — The Group of Eight (G-8) industrialized countries has heavily rewritten its plan for reform in the Middle East, giving a prominent place to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and making clear change cannot be imposed from outside. A draft of the plan, seen by Reuters on Thursday, answers many of the severe criticisms Arabs made when the Greater Middle East Initiative was leaked in February. It will be one of the main documents under discussion when G- 8leaders meet in the United States next week. The group includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States. The Bush administration has been pushing the plan with the argument that reform in the Arab world is the best antidote to extremism and hostility to the United States. But the Arab critics said the original version ignored the role of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in creating unrest and took a paternalistic attitude to the region's people. The new version, now known as the Partnership for Progress and a Common Future with the Region of the Broader Middle East and North Africa, cuts out a long preamble lamenting the current social and economic conditions in the Arab world. Instead it says: "The peoples of the Broader Middle East and North Africa have a rich tradition and culture of accomplishment in government, trade, science, the arts and more. They have made many lasting contributions to human civilization." It also puts the emphasis on cooperation and partnership between the G- 8and willing Arab governments, rather than prescribing remedies from outside. On the Arab-Israeli conflict, which did not appear in the original version at all, it says: "The resolution of long-lasting, often bitter, disputes, especially the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, is an important element of progress in the region." Compromise language "At the same time, regional conflicts must not be an obstacle for reforms. Indeed, reforms may make a significant contribution toward resolving them," adds the draft, obtained through the London-based Arabic newspaper Asharq Al Awsat. The language appeared to be a compromise between the US neoconservative view that authoritarian Arab governments use the conflict as an excuse for dragging their feet on reform and the opposite view that reform will not be possible as long as Israeli and US policies in the region inflame Arab public opinion and distract from domestic politics. A senior US official in Washington told Reuters the latest version did not compromise the Bush administration's commitment to democracy in the Arab world. "The main thing we were insistent on is strong support for democratization and no excuses for backing away from democracy. 'Democracy' and 'freedom' appear several times, democracy repeatedly," said the official, who asked not to be named. The new version endorses the Middle East peace plan known as the "roadmap" and a Middle East peace settlement based on UN Security Council resolutions. A common criticism of the February plan was that the United States was trying to impose its version of society on a diverse region with ancient traditions and interests which do not necessarily match those of the United States. But the new version says: "Successful reform depends on the countries in the region, and change should not and cannot be imposed from outside... Each country is unique and their diversity should be respected." The plan, drawn up by G- 8senior civil servants, proposes regular meetings of ministers from G- 8and Middle East countries in a "Forum for the Future" for dialogue and to coordinate G- 8financial help for reform projects. It says the inaugural meeting will take place later in 2004 . US officials said on Wednesday the fate of two other possible institutions, a democracy assistance group and a foundation for democracy, was uncertain. The draft puts the title Democracy Assistance Group in brackets, an indication the drafters could not agree on the final language to put to the summit. The plan proposes democracy, the rule of law, free-market economic policies, social justice and empowering women. |