No two ways' about the League
In the course of attempting to reform the criticism-battered Arab League, the organisation's secretary-general is advocating new approaches to relations among Arab countries. Dina Ezzat reports
font size =-2>"There are no two ways about it, the Arab League must be reformed so as to be able to meet the challenges facing Arab countries and collective Arab interests," Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa told the Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs.
Moussa's remarks on the current situation and the prospects for his organisation came as little surprise. In recent months, Moussa has criticised the league's performance, questioning its capacity to respond should the "worst case scenario" occur, namely, an aggressive occupation of Arab land, including Iraq, a decline in inter-Arab rapport alongside internal threats against several Arab states and Arab countries' failure to achieve development targets.
"I admit that the league is not doing well. I admit that much more could be done, and could have been done. However, when we talk of the performance of the Arab League we are talking about the collective Arab will of its member states," Moussa said. He added that while the role of the Arab League and its secretary-general is to "observe and promote the interests" of Arab countries, there is not much that can be done at a time when Arab countries fail to agree on what those shared interests are.
"We are facing huge problems. More are bound to come our way. But our societies are too weak to react effectively," he said. Describing the current Arab scene as one in which underdevelopment and a lack of political will prevail, Moussa asserted the need to redefine collective Arab priorities. "There is an ongoing debate about how to reconceptualise Pan-Arabism in a way that is categorically different from that we espoused during the second half of the past century. A 'neo-Pan- Arabism' is what we need".
Moussa's rationale is that in contrast with the 1960s, or even 1970s, the national interests of one Arab state or a group of Arab states have conflicted with those of other Arab countries. This, he said, is partially due to the changing world order and in part due to inter-Arab disputes. "It would simply be unrealistic for any of us today to claim that the strategic interests of Arab Gulf states are the same as those of the Maghreb [North African Arab] states. This factor as well as contingent conflicts have at times caused fissures in Arab relations," he argued.
The radical change to "what was once called collective Arab security", the Arab League secretary-general said, is a clear example of the evolution of collective Arab interests and, consequently, of the need to adopt neo-Pan-Arabism. "In 1990 when one Arab country [Iraq] invaded another Arab country [Kuwait] the notion of collective Arab security as we knew it during the 1950s and 1960s collapsed," Moussa said. And, in an indirect reference, he added that what was left of this notion of collective security was seriously undermined by the involvement of some Arab countries in facilitating the war and occupation of Iraq earlier this year.
What Moussa has in mind when he refers to neo-Pan- Arabism is building joint Arab economic interests and collective Arab action based on political realism. "Let's admit that what could bring us closer are good economic relations. We need to enhance economic cooperation." And, "Let's also agree that when the Palestinians say they want to adopt the roadmap, it's not for us to tell them 'you can't do that.'"
On the political front, Moussa said Arab states need to make decisions based on realistic assessments of regional and international developments. "We all should admit that the US is here in the heart of the Arab world [Iraq]" and that it will be here for a few years "with many potential consequences". Arab countries also need to be explicit about their desire to maintain "the best possible of relations with the US", he said. "We all want relations with the US and we all have to pursue dialogue with the US so that these relations are founded on the right bases and proceed in a way that accommodates the multiple interests of Arab states."
In addition to political realism and economic pragmatism, Moussa advocated inter-Arab dialogue. Dialogue is essential, he said, for Arab countries to really and truly express their views on regional and international developments "without having to say one thing and do another".
Though Moussa believes it will take considerable time for states to make such changes, he was quick to emphasise that such a reality doesn't justify a slow response by the Arab League. "Since its establishment in 1945, the Arab League has attempted to serve Arab interests. It has had its ups and downs. Today, we need a categorically different Arab League," he said.
This "new" Arab League, Moussa hopes, will not limit itself to debating the traditional issues pertaining to the Arab-Israeli conflict, "essential as this issue is", but will also tackle socio- economic and cultural matters. "While it is important for us to debate the consequences of Israel's nuclear plans, it is also important to debate ways of confronting the slander campaign that has been carried out against Arabs and Muslims since 11 September," Moussa said. He stressed that the Arab League is not just about regional and international relations but matters tackled by the ministers of economy, communication, health and the work of the organisations that address cultural and women's issues.
Towards obtaining a broader perspective on league reform, Moussa invited Arab scholars and politicians to brainstorm about reforming the league during a number of sessions this month.
Participants recommendations pertaining to institutional matters so far include re-examining the league's charter "through amending it rather than rewriting it" and establishing an Arab Consultative Body in which Arab parliamentarians and intellectuals can debate issues of common interest.
Economic cooperation was another topic participants tackled proposing a host of ideas in that respect. Moussa will discuss those ideas with Arab governments towards developing a set of recommendations to be proposed at the next Arab summit in Tunis in 2004.
"We need to decide what we want for this region over the next 10 years. If we want a region where Arabs interact among themselves and with others on the basis of common interests, then we have to start moving on reform," Moussa said. The alternative, he said, is a bleak one. "Those who are calling, either directly or indirectly, for the elimination of the Arab League serve the calls for a non-Arab dominated Middle East".
