Gulf on the brink
Hot on the heels of the capture of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, the GCC summit wraps up developments that launched a new era in the region. Sherine Bahaa reports
"Pragmatic" seemed to be the byword for this year's Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit meeting in Kuwait. The lengthy speeches normally made by kings and emirs were dropped, and the opening meeting took only 15 minutes, with a brief four-minute keynote address by Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed Al-Sabah.
The council is an economic, political and military alliance comprising Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. The 24th summit took place amid tight security as a result of heightened fears of terrorist attacks, virtually turning Kuwait into a military zone for the duration of the two-day meeting.
Unlike previous summits, this year's gathering of Gulf leaders was not haunted by the spectre of Saddam Hussein; the former Iraqi president's shadow had always loomed over previous GCC meetings. Saddam's war with Iran was in full swing during the first eight years of GCC existence, and then came his invasion of Kuwait in 1990, the repercussions of which were still being felt until his capture last week. In spite of the celebrations that took place in Kuwait last week, the euphoric mood over his capture was no longer evident.
For their part, Gulf Arab leaders refrained from recognising the US-appointed Iraqi Interim Governing Council (IGC). They even refrained from mentioning the capture of Saddam in their final communiqué, something which the US had pushed for -- according to a number of high-ranking Kuwaiti officials. However, the decision taken by the IGC to appoint an Iraqi tribunal to try 'the former Iraqi regime' in Iraq was applauded by Arab kings and sheikhs.
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed Al-Sabah expressed the GCC's intention not to use the name of Saddam Hussein, to prevent making him the only person responsible for committing war crimes against Kuwaitis and Iraqis.
The conference also threw its support behind all diplomatic efforts to achieve peace and stability in Iraq, the declaration said. Iraq's $120-billion debt also topped the GCC agenda, although no GCC country favoured writing off all of Iraq's debts entirely. "Kuwait's stand is not for cancelling all debts, because Iraq is a capable nation," said Sheikh Mohamed Al-Sabah. Kuwait had been awarded huge compensation from Baghdad after its 1990-91 occupation. Claims from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates could amount to $45 billion. Iraq insists the money was given as grants to help it in the war against Iran in the 1980s, but the Gulf states say these were loans.
During the US-led war on Iraq, all Gulf countries except Kuwait and Qatar had closed their US military bases fearing they would be used as launchpads for US military strikes on Iraq.
Kuwait made no secret of supporting US in its war against Iraq, and it paid a dear price for that. Kuwait's stance poisoned relations with some Arab countries like Lebanon, Libya and with Arab League Secretary General, Amr Moussa.
Moussa, however, attended the GCC summit this week, dismissing the quarrel as, "a Summer cloud". Kuwait is still reeling from the ripple effects of the Iraqi invasion of the country in 1990 were not surprised by a United Nations' report that said most of the 605 missing men and women - since the Iraqi invasion to Iraq -- if not all of them had been killed.
Such a report made Prime minister Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Sabah was the first Arab leader to respond to Hussein's capture describing it "a fair verdict for Kuwaitis who suffered at the hands of Saddam."
The United Nations panel overseeing compensation to victims of Iraq's 1990 invasion of Kuwait has approved an additional $1.4 billion in claims for losses and damages. Most of that money -$1.1 billion- is to go to Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to help pay for the environmental clean-up resulting from oil-well fires, oil spills and other pollution caused by Iraq.
Threats by Saddam, by extremists and Kuwaitis of Iraqi origins to attack Kuwaiti targets came to naught. But, Kuwait attempted up security measures throughout the year.
On the domestic front, Kuwait separated the title of crown prince from that of prime minister. Sheikh Saad was appointed as crown prince on 31 January, 1978, and appointed as prime minister on February 8, 1978. In July 2003 Sheikh Saad, still crown prince was no longer prime minister. Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al- Sabah, the Kuwaiti foreign minister, was named the new prime minister.
Renewed calls for political reform in Kuwait grew louder in 2003. Although Kuwait was the first country in the Gulf to hold parliamentary elections four decades ago, political parties are still banned. According to Mohamed Al-Jassem, editor in chief of Al- Rai Al-Aam, an influential Kuwaiti daily, "Kuwait needs a new political system that allow the establishment of political parties which should stay away from sectarianism and regionalism."
The Kuwaiti media fears for the future of freedom of expression. Al-Jassem was summoned for questioning on 9 June. Self- censorship by Kuwaiti newspapers is commonplace. Several newspapers have refrained from publishing articles that are too critical of the government.
Iraq's demand to rejoin the GCC was not discussed at the summit, although it was mentioned on the sidelines. Before its invasion of Kuwait, Iraq used to participate in GCC sports and cultural activities.
Efforts to turn the council into a more effective bloc were intensified. More concrete steps were outlined in the final communiqué of the summit, while the usual rhetoric of support for the Palestinian people was kept in place. And the United Arab Emirates' demand to settle its dispute with Iran over the three strategic islands in the Gulf was also added to the document. Critics argue that the GCC's agenda, and consequently the communiqué issued at the summit, has been shaped largely in response to pressures from the US.
The US-led invasion of Iraq and the capture of Saddam Hussein has resulted in the map of the region being redrawn. The GCC nations are worried about the threat of terrorism.
A series of bombings in Saudi Arabia provoked outrage among Saudis and posed a real challenge to the ruling Al-Saud House, who realised that the Al-Qa'eda organisation was capable of carrying out attacks in the country despite a security clampdown and cooperation between the CIA and Saudi Intelligence services.
Since the first bombing in the kingdom on 12 May, more than 1,000 suspected Islamists have been arrested and over 2,000 suspects interrogated. Saudi Intelligence and Security forces have lost a dozen men in their almost weekly battles with Al-Qa'eda fighters.
For Saudis, the only way out of this dilemma is "reform". For the first time ever, Saudi officials started linking increasing terrorist attacks with the growing influence of extremist clerics. Crown Prince Abdullah revived the debate known as the "Riyadh Spring", initiated last March by Saudi intellectuals, which discusses the role of the powerful Islamic establishment -- which is funded by royals -- in inciting a new generation towards hatred of both the West and of secular Arab regimes. No less than 15 of the 19 hijackers of 11 September were Saudis.
GCC leaders approved a pact to combat terrorism through coordination between member states. "Expressing keen interest in boosting joint security cooperation and coordination to fight terror, the summit approves the signing of the GCC agreement to combat terrorism," said the final communiqué read by GCC Secretary- General Abdul-Rahman Al-Attiya.
The accord calls for security coordination, exchange of information, strengthening security networks and monitoring sources of terror financing. It was noted that the Saudi ruling family's tradition of funding the fundamentalists had to be curtailed.
For their part, Gulf Arab leaders reiterated the importance of education reforms in their treaty for combating terrorism. The education reforms were based on a document presented by Saud Arabia's Crown Prince Abdullah, which focussed on the removal of material describing followers of other religions as infidels and enemies of Islam from school textbooks.
"Misinterpretation of Islamic tradition by some Muslims generates extremism, which is a form of terror," said Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed Al-Sabah.
However, Islamist lawmakers such as Kuwait's Walid Tabtabi warned Gulf leaders before the opening of the summit against giving in to US dictats, reiterating that "any amendment and development of the curricula should stem from the Gulf's needs, and not from external pressures," said Tabtabi. According to the leader of the Islamic Salafi bloc in Kuwait's parliament, "they [the West] are doing this in order to impose normalisation with the Zionist entity [Israel]," Tabtabi cautioned.
Reform was not confined to the education sector only. Saudi Crown Prince announced a package of reforms which include holding municipal council elections for the first time in the kingdom.
It has not been decided yet when the decision will go into effect, since the committee mapping the framework for the elections has a year to submit its conclusions. But the idea of elections in the municipal council introduces Saudis to democracy at its most elementary level. If proven successful, claim Saudi officials, elections would follow in assemblies at the regional and national levels that might end up with the creation of a constitutional monarchy.
It is hoped that the rest of the Gulf countries will follow suit. With the notable exception of Kuwait which has a Western style democratic parliament, the rest of the GCC countries are introducing elements of election to their municipal councils only so far.
A bill granting women the right to vote, let alone the right to stand as candidates, has yet to be passed.
This year witnessed the 10th legislative election in Kuwait since the promulgation of the constitution in 1963. However, elections to the 50-seat National Assembly brought 24 new faces to the legislative body in a contest that proved disastrous to liberals. Liberals won only three seats. Islamists won 17 and pro-government candidates 20 seats. Independents won the remaining 10 seats in the July elections this year.
Economic matters were also discussed at the GCC summit. Talks focussed on accelerating the pace of economic integration; the GCC summit approved legislation to outlaw dumping practices, a key obstacle to the smooth implementation of the customs union launched in January, and reaffirmed their commitment to setting up a monetary union and a single currency in 2005 and 2010, respectively.
The leaders also vowed to ease the free flow of goods between their countries. They also committed themselves to a single GCC passport after "technical details" have been worked out.
"There is a pressing need to strengthen GCC institutions and committees to improve their performance and achieve quick implementations of decisions," concluded the GCC statement.
