Powell and Arab ministers hold reform meeting
Morocco hosts 'Forum for the Future'

Daily Star staff

BEIRUT: Ministers from around 20 Middle Eastern and North African countries converge on the Moroccan capital on Saturday to discuss ways to establish greater political representation and economic liberalization in the region.

The "Forum for the Future," which is being co-hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and Morocco's Foreign Minister Mohammed Benaissa,  is part of Washington's much touted initiative to create greater democracy in the Middle East and North Africa.

The primary aim of the forum is to establish a blueprint for improved cooperation between governments and civil rights groups in the region to ensure greater respect for human rights and political freedoms in their countries.

The forum's agenda, which was agreed last week during a two-day preliminary meeting in Rabat, will also establish a micro-credit scheme for small businesses. It will also establish a working group to promote investment in the region.

The United States proposed bringing together the region's leaders again in Morocco after a summit of Arab heads of state in Tunisia earlier this year was marred by the walkout of Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and the absence of several leaders.

"For us, it's like a dream come true to have a day where we can sit with the governments and talk about political and democratic reforms," said Mohammed al-Tayyeb, who chairs the Yemeni Committee on Human Rights, Liberties and Civil Organizations.

But other participants offered a more sobering assessment of the situation in which these groups currently find themselves.

"Objectively speaking, we have failed," said Lebanese lawyer and Amnesty International representative Chibli Mallat. "Nothing has changed. The indices of democracy have fallen behind."

Under heavy security, the foreign ministers of Syria and Lebanon were among those gathering for Saturday's meeting to discuss how to peacefully settle inter-Arab conflicts and improve regional cooperation.

A Moroccan government spokesman said Iran also was set to attend but withdrew "at the last minute."

Another government official, who declined to be named, added that Iran made the decision based on its current relations with the United States and "the degree of threat that this country poses to the Islamic Republic of Iran."

The conference is part of Washington's "Greater Middle East Initiative," which was unveiled in June at the G-8 summit of major industrial countries: Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States.

The initiative, which urges Arab states to promote democracy, human rights and economic liberalization, has provoked a defensive outcry from some Arab governments in countries where anti-American feelings are running high over the war in Iraq and Washington's perceived bias toward Israel in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

As a result the initiative has been scaled down over the past few months, with the spotlight shifting onto its economic and financial aspects.

During last week's Rabat meeting some European countries questioned the wisdom of setting up a new forum for dialogue under Washington's auspices.

But in Paris a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry said Europe was "fully committed" to the project. Earlier, French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier said the conference would produce a declaration that would focus on settling the crisis in Iraq and the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

Some Arab leaders, including Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, have accused the United States of pursuing a hidden agenda at the talks. - With agencies