Arab leaders promise political, social reforms

Arab governments, responding to a US campaign for Arab democracy, promised yesterday to carry out political and social reforms in an oil-rich region which includes some of the world's most repressive rulers.

In documents read out at the end of a two-day Arab summit in Tunis, the 22 Arab League members promised to promote democracy, expand popular participation in politics and public affairs, reinforce women's rights and expand civil society.

Foreign ministers had already agreed to the reform agenda and the impact of approval at the summit was diluted by a decision that heads of state would not personally sign the key reform documents yet.

Few heads of state were still present at the end of the summit. Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi walked out on Saturday in protest at the agenda.

Conference delegates said some governments preferred the approval process to go through national institutions, such as parliaments and cabinets, before heads of state sign on.

Human rights activists and analysts say they doubt the Arab leaders intend to act on their promises with much enthusiasm. "Their attitude is 'Reform yes, but not on my watch'," said a senior Western diplomat monitoring the summit.

The resolutions on Iraq and the Palestinians are unlikely to satisfy Arab public opinion, which had hoped for something more decisive, analysts said.

The leaders expressed solidarity with Syria in the face of US economic sanctions and criticised any attempts to solve the Arab-Israeli conflict without reference to all UN resolutions.

That was an indirect rebuke to US President George W. Bush, who last month gave Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon assurances that contradict UN resolutions on Palestinian refugees and international law on settling occupied territory.

The United States, without withdrawing the concessions to Israel, later said negotiations would settle such matters.

On Iraq, the Tunis Declaration summarising the views of the leaders said the United Nations should have "a central and effective role... in order to end the occupation and arrange the stages of transferring sovereignty to the Iraqi people".

It did not call for an immediate end to the US-led occupation or set any timetable for restoring sovereignty.

Iraqi officials have said they want Arab troops to replace US and British forces but Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said this would not happen under present conditions.

"What exists now is an occupation and Arab countries do not take part in the occupation of another Arab country... In present circumstances there is no resolution on that and I don't think any participation is probable in the near future," he said.

In separate detailed resolutions, the Arab countries said they "condemn the inhumane and unethical crimes and practices committed by troops of the occupation forces against Iraqi detainees" and that both the perpetrators and those responsible for the abuses should face trial.

They condemned the excessive use of force by occupation troops, as well as the "terrorist explosions which kill hundreds of innocent Iraqis".

The closing session began more than 90 minutes later than expected because of wrangling over the procedure for signing the reform documents and over whether to mandate a small group of countries to represent the Arab world at the Group of Eight summit next month, delegates said.

A pan-Arab newspaper said yesterday Washington had invited at least five Arab states to the G8 summit on Sea Island, Georgia, where a joint initiative for reform in the Arab world will be launched.

The London-based Arabic daily al-Hayat quoted diplomatic sources in Washington as saying that invitations went to Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Yemen and Morocco. Mr Moussa said each nation would speak for itself at the G8 summit.

The commitment to democratic change appears in three different documents, in slightly different forms. The Tunis Declaration, apparently the latest formulation, says Arab governments will "continue reform and modernisation in our countries, keeping up with rapid international changes by reinforcing democratic practices and expanding participation in politics and public affairs".

The governments also pledged to reinforce civil society and expand the participation and rights of women in society.