Brussels, 01/02/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Tuesday 30 January, the European Parliament committee on foreign affairs, security and human rights, chaired by Libor Roucek (PES, Czech Republic), looked at a report on reform in the Arab world by Michel Rocard (PES, France), a project to be amended by mid-February. The rapporteur stressed his report was “non conclusive” but that it constituted a “call for reflection” on the Arab propensity to reform and on the EU's attitude towards this. He said: “To date, our view of things has been limited to state to state reports”. However, he said, there is a “common perception” in Europe that he would describe, not without some “unease”, as “Arab misfortune”. This vision is compounded by “total failure in development, a (whole mass of) frustrations and bitterness” and by civil societies that are “asphyxiated” but which have “begun to speak out over the past 15 years”. It is also, he added, a common world that dreams of unity. “One cannot deal with this world without taking into account this dream which is not a religious but a cultural reference”. Relations with Europe are uneasy as “there is suspicion of partiality” toward Israel, seen as a “satellite of the United States”. It would therefore be in Europe's interest to “reach an autonomous expression and recognise the aspiration of Arab unity”. As things stand, Europe must also take into account internal “tension” due to the almost general presence of “dictatorial governments”. The former prime minister of France cites the Arab decision to enter the era of reform which remains in contradiction with reality. What should be done? Mr Rocard takes the view that the road of external pressure is not the right one, citing the example of what was done with Africa. Western pressure has led to ridiculous elections that have unfolded in conditions just satisfactory for western observers. He recommends action toward civil societies including, as he writes in his report, with “moderate” Islamists. The aim is to “help the despots to become enlightened”.
Antonio Tajani (EPP-ED) felt that adjustments had to be made quickly. He felt there lacked references to Israel, to human rights and to “the right not to be Moslem on Arab soil”. Bronislaw Geremek (EPP-D, Poland), however, expressed his “admiration for a report which breaks with the language of the lawyer” and he proposed that no amendments be made, and that Mr Rocard be allowed to find a way to bring all the points together in order to better highlight Europe's “common approach” and to show the desire to “break out of this clash of civilisations”. Our feeling of superiority was feeding Arab defiance and fundamentalism, said Mr Geremek, who refuted the idea that “it's the religion that makes the Arab world”. The “real antagonism is not between the Arabs and the Western world, but inside the Arab world itself, between those who want democracy and human rights and those who hold a fundamentalist view … Arab unity is a slogan used against modernity, it's a reflex of fear”. He called for wariness to nationalisms, the consequence of which was “hate feeding hate”. There had to be “dialogue between equals” and not “lessons given” to the Arab world. Following on, Hélène Flautre (Greens, France) stressed human rights and the need to work for values “which are not Western, but universal”. Miguel Portas (GUE, Portugal) wanted deeper reflection and not to base everything on the reading of one single book. Panagiotis Beglitis (PES, Greece) emphasised the difference in conception of human rights and the difficulty of defining “Arab-ness”. Ana Hyasbakowa (EPP-ED, Czech Republic) felt that, to be able to understand the Arab world, reference should not be made to Islam but to the “rules of its leaders” and stressed cultural dialogue. Anna Gomez (PES, Portugal) said she was “worried and uneasy” with the debate which was falling into the conceptions that Michel Rocard wanted to move beyond. She said, “We have to turn to objective concepts, like those defined by the UNDP” in reports on human development. Pasqualina Napolitano (PES, Italy) called for the meaning of Arab-ness to be considered: language, history, culture? What she noted was that the “pan-Arab dream has failed” and that it mustn't be thought that it could offer any prospects. She recommended that account be taken of the diversity of this world.
The rapporteur considers that a common feature links up this world: the quest for “dignity” by citizens who are often “perplexed by contradictions they face in western countries and in our relationships with their countries”. Ms Nicholson (ALDE, UK) wondered about the antagonism between Islam and democracy: “responses vary, depending on which leader is asked”, she said. Marco Cappato (ALDE, Italy) wanted, “to go deeper and integrate reflection in the Arab world with that in Europe”.
Speaking on behalf of the European Commission, Andrea Bassols (DG Relex), welcomed the contents in the report and the initiatives it proposes, pointing out that the EU had long-standing relations with the Arab world based on a “regionalised approach” (Euromed, GCC, ACP) and efforts targeting civil society. He also referred to decisions currently being made on strengthening collaboration between the Commission and the Secretary General of the Arab League (EUROPE 9356). (fb)