Arab leaders say US policies add to Middle East insecurity
Regional-USA, Politics, 6/23/2003

The head of the Arab League accused the United States on Saturday of not making its intentions clear in the Middle East and adding to insecurity in the region by occupying Iraq.

Kicking off a meeting of high-level politicians and business executives, Amr Moussa said Washington had never sat down with Arab leaders to explain its policy in the region. "There has never been a strategic talk with the Arab world," said Moussa, secretary general of the main Arab political grouping.

"We feel, all of us in the Middle East, insecure." His views were echoed by the foreign minister of Qatar, one of Washington`s closest Middle East allies. "They (Washington) know what they want. Maybe we don't know what they want," Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jaber al-Thani told the same gathering.

They were speaking at the start of a three-day meeting of the Davos, Switzerland-based World Economic Forum, to discuss political and economic development in the troubled region. It brings together commercial and political leaders from around the region and outside, including U.S. Secretary Of State Colin Powell.

Many Arabs fear the U.S. invasion of Iraq was a precursor to a wider policy of forced regime change throughout the region. "We are all worried. This adds to our problems and our stifled anger," Moussa said. Both Moussa and al-Thani said the region needed to change and was taking some steps in that direction, but that changes orchestrated by the United States would not be welcome. "Change should not be imposed," Moussa said. "This should emanate from the people themselves. (Democracy) is not a gift that is presented to you." Al-Thani admitted Arab governments need to change: "We need to be more transparent and to tell our people the truth."

Previous Stories:
  Arab moderates authorize Bush to complete his program   (6/4/2003)
  Arab- American summit held in Sharm Esh Sheikh today   (6/3/2003)
  New York Times: US, Arab leaders summit   (5/27/2003)

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