AFTER repeated failures in peace talks in the Middle East and the emergence of new players, it is time to change that status quo that has prevailed in the region for the past three decades. Is it time to think about a new shape and a new system for the Middle East, and, if so, how it will look like and what the rules will be for this new system. To try to better understand this new situation in the Middle East, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs recently organised a forum in co-operation with Agenzia Italia. In the forum, entitled 'The Middle East through a media lens: problems and opportunities', Italy familiarised Middle Eastern journalists with its views about several issues in Middle Eastern politics. The forum, that was attended by journalists from different Middle Eastern countries and prominent Italian journalists, discussed the political dynamics of the broader Middle East, the economic dynamics of the region and the role that the EU and the other regional groupings can play in the region. Discussing the political dynamics in the region, a group of Arab and Italian journalists agreed that the stubbornness and autocracy of Israel is still the reason behind the failure of the peace process in the Middle East. The failure of negotiations with moderate partners will make them resort to extremism as the only available option, declared some journalists who participated, adding that Israel is to blame directly or indirectly for all the problems in the Middle East, while there will be no peace in the area without settling the Palestinian issue. In one session, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs Franco Frattini declared that he believes that the two-state solution is the only one we have. He said that the Palestinians and Israelis should start working together on drawing up the borders which he thinks will be no easy task. Frattini, who praised the Egyptian efforts for Palestinian unity and keeping the negotiations on track, asked the Arab countries to spend more money on developing young Palestinians. He stressed that the Palestinian issue lies at the heart of the political tension in the region, adding that the good intentions of the participants should be translated into actions. Frattini expressed his wish to see the EU have a greater role in the peace process in the Middle East, while he insisted that they still support the US efforts in the region to achieve peace. As for the role that the EU can play, some Arab journalists still have their doubts. The EU is still struggling to maintain its unity and it's difficult for the member countries to agree on different issues. One of the issues that was the focus of debate was Turkish membership of the EU. While some European countries find it difficult to accept this Islamic country into the Union, Italy expressed its support for Turkey. "One of the reasons for this support is religious," said Frattini, arguing that accepting an Islamic country into the EU will give him the chance to defend the rights and status of Christians living in the Islamic world. Turkey's growing activism in the Middle East was also discussed in the forum. Questions were asked about the reason behind this activism and to what extent it is going to serve the peace process. Italian President Giorgio Napolitano has gone so far as to argue that the European Union needs Turkey, if the goal shared by various generations of European leaders to establish a fully fledged European power is to be reached. For most of the speakers, Turkey, Iran and Iraq are the most important emerging powers, especially with the diminishing of moderate powers like Saudi Arabia and Egypt. But is Turkey qualified to play this role and will Turkish involvement in the Middle East detract from its European roots? We'll have to wait and see. Turkey is able to do many things that other Middle East countries can't do. One of them is talking to Iran. Frattini insisted that Lebanon, Syria and Iraq also affect the situation in the region and that any peace activism in the region should take these areas into consideration. Everyone agreed that the Middle East is a pivotal theatre for profound economic transformation. Many of the countries in the region, especially Turkey and the Gulf states, have rapidly growing economies and play a significant economic role at the global level, while experiencing strong demographic change. But resolving the current conflicts in the region and implementing internal reform will be the first steps for making the region the land of opportunities, paving the way for more economic and regional co-operation.
