Arabs Leaders to Endorse Participation ( Democracy coming? )

The Las Vegas Sun ^ | May 12, 2004 | SALAH NASRAWI

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) - Arab leaders will endorse greater participation by their people in running their nations' affairs - but aren't spelling out how, according to a draft proposal for the Arab League summit this month in Tunisia.

The five-page proposal, agreed to Monday by Arab foreign ministers and obtained by The Associated Press, is short on specifics. However, it pledges to respect human rights and freedom of expression, enhance the position of women and promote tolerance.

It says the leaders' aim is "more progress on the course of political, economic, social and cultural development for our countries."

The proposal binds the greater participation to "the existing legal framework," or to Islamic law - an indication it likely will not require any nation to overhaul its system. Egyptian rights activists complained Wednesday there was no assurance of implementation, and an Egyptian political analyst noted leaders are taking care their authority isn't eroded.

"Many of these governments are traditionalist, and they fear that modernity might affect their rule, so they stopped halfway," said Gamal Abdel-Gawad of Al-Ahram Center for Strategic and Political Studies, a Cairo think tank.

Some Arab countries have "backward trends" within their society and take care not to undermine relations with those more conservative elements, he said, citing Saudi Arabia as one. There, the monarchy and religious ultraconservatives who have a relatively free hand over social norms rely on each other for strength.

The reform document, expected to be adopted by heads of state of the 22-nation Arab League at a May 22-23 summit, is a reply to the "Greater Middle East Initiative" proposed by the Bush administration and harshly criticized by Arabs.

Coming up with a response was problematic for Arab leaders, who maintain outside ideas ignore cultural differences. The foreign ministers' inability to agree on reforms in March led to the postponement of the original annual summit.

Arab League spokesman Hossam Zaki said the proposal "reflects what Arab societies and public opinion need."

The five-page document, titled "A Course for Development and Modernization in the Arab World," pledges Arab governments will "deepen the foundations of democracy, shura (consultations) and participation in political and public affairs."

It also vows to respect human rights, freedom of expression, and independence of the judiciary. It promises more efforts to enhance the participation of Arab women and their rights and position in society.

While calling for "inter-religious and intercultural dialogue," the proposal also emphasizes the need to "promote values of tolerance and moderation."

But Bahey el-Din Hassan, director of the Cairo Center for Human Rights, said the Arab League has ignored Arab human rights organizations' request to participate in the summit or hold a summit on the sidelines to share their views on reform.

"This is a bad beginning," Hassan said. "If human rights organizations can't have a say in the reforms, who can then? ... Everything in this document is good and fine, but who will guarantee that all these ideas will be implemented?"

Arab diplomats said privately it took a lot of wrangling to prepare the document. Some governments, including Saudi Arabia's, insisted that wording should conform with "Arab and Islamic values," they said.

The leaders are also expected to sign "A Pledge of Accord and Solidarity," which calls for stronger ties among Arab countries. And Arab leaders were expected to establish means to better coordinate their foreign and security policies.

President Bush's "Greater Middle East Initiative" has not officially been disclosed but is modeled on the 1975 Helsinki pact that the West used to press for greater freedom and human rights in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe. It is believed to call for free elections, education and economic reforms, respect for freedom of the press and speech and greater women's rights.

Earlier this month, Bush told Egypt's leading Al-Ahram newspaper he is committed to seeing democratic reform in the region.

Faced with strong opposition to his original plan, the Bush administration was planning to present a revised version to Middle Eastern leaders this week, the New York Times reported on Thursday.

Bush's plan for Middle Eastern reform is expected to be a main topic at G-8 summit of major industrial countries in June. Secretary of State Colin Powell also is expected to discuss democratic reforms with Arab leaders at an international forum in Jordan later this week. European and NATO leaders are to discuss it in separate summits later in June.

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[tkathy]

Days are numbered for the islamo-thugs and their nasty little thuggocracies.