Arab governments are uneasy about US plans to impose democracy and reform in the region, reports Nevine Khalil While still grappling with an explosive situation in the Palestinian territories and instability in Iraq, which is expected to face at least another year of US-led occupation, Arab leaders will soon be confronted with an American master plan to overhaul the region. The US undersecretary of state for economic, business and agricultural affairs, Alan Larson, arrived in Cairo yesterday evening on the last leg of a tour in the region which took him to the Palestinian territories, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia. Larson's mission was primarily to probe reactions in the region to the US-proposed Greater Middle East (GME) initiative, an ambitious plan to promote democracy, build a knowledge-based society, reform the education system and overhaul regional economies. Most conspicuously, the initiative does not mention the resolution of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Washington aims to launch the initiative -- which refers to the countries of the Arab world, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey and Israel -- at the upcoming G8 summit in June. The GME proposal was one talking point during President Hosni Mubarak's visit to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, where he met with King Fahd and Crown Prince Abdullah. Mubarak's brief trip came as part of a series of meetings he has been holding with Arab leaders, including those of Oman and the United Arab Emirates last week. Other items on Mubarak's agenda were joint Arab action, next month's Arab summit in Tunisia and the volatile situation in the region. Cairo is most interested in ensuring that the Arab summit on 29-30 March concludes with a strong, unified message that the Arab world is working towards modernisation as well as economic and political reform. "We want the Arab summit to come out with a lucid message about our sincerity in undertaking reforms and modernising our joint work to ensure that the Arab League plays an effective role in this sensitive phase," Mubarak told the fourth general congress of journalists on Monday. "We need to show that our Arab solidarity is capable of confronting the escalating dangers facing our nation." Mubarak also reacted coolly to the GME plan, saying that "we should not give others the opportunity to map out our future, define our course or work on reforming us. We must take the initiative ourselves." Egypt also wants its proposal to reform the Arab League to result in a more dynamic regional body, with specific mechanisms for cooperation and conflict resolution. Saudi Arabia, too, has presented a proposal to amend the league's charter. On the GME, Mubarak noted while there have been many efforts by several Arab governments "to reform their societies and consolidate the dynamics of democracy and freedom", this trend coincides with "attempts by foreign powers to impose specific paradigms of reform based on claims that the lack thereof or the sluggish pace of reforms in the Middle East has made the region seriously endanger other people and societies". In response, Mubarak believes that reform should arise from within society "based on personal conviction and taking into consideration the character of Arab societies". He warned that "endeavours to impose a uniform model of reform on all Arab countries without consultation and close coordination will only result in opposite outcomes." He added, however, that this does not imply "a rejection of outside help towards reform, but this should be done within the framework of our own plans and based on respect for our will and Arab identity". At the same time, Mubarak told journalists that "regardless of the pace of reform, it will not curb the general sense of frustration resulting from the non-resolution of regional conflicts, and the double standards by which these problems are dealt with." A joint Egyptian-Saudi statement at the end of Mubarak's trip to Riyadh noted that "Arab countries are moving along the road to development, modernisation and reform in line with the interests and values of their people." The leaders of both countries stressed that they "reject the imposition of a specific prototype of reform on Arab and Muslim countries from abroad". On other issues, both sides agreed on the necessity of launching political discussions with Israel on the Palestinian and Syrian tracks in order to alleviate tensions in the region. They also want to see the activation of the Arab peace initiative which was adopted at the Arab summit in Lebanon in 2002, by its re-introduction at next month's summit. "Bringing stability in the Middle East requires just solutions for the issues, most importantly the Palestinian and Iraqi problems," added the statement. During a cabinet meeting on Sunday, Mubarak discussed the various initiatives to thaw the frost in Palestinian-Israeli relations and launch serious negotiations. These ideas were examined during contacts with the Palestinians, Israelis, the US and other players in the peace process. Mubarak also reviewed the challenges facing peace- making in the region, and the dangerous repercussions caused by the continued deterioration of the situation between the Palestinians and Israelis. The meeting also probed Egypt's efforts to move away from the current crisis in the peace process, including sponsoring talks for the Palestinian armed factions. The head of Israel's intelligence agency, Meir Dagan, was in Egypt recently to discuss the possible evacuation of Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, and sound out officials' views about the consequences of an army withdrawal from the Israeli border with Egypt as part of the settlement pullout. Israel's Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz suggested last week that Israel keep control of the border checkpoint at Rafah to prevent arms smuggling into the Palestinian territories.
