Dialogue with the Opposition in the Arab world

Opposition parties in the Arab world are banned from political participation by governments which are afraid of change or which are hell-bent on resisting reforms. The European Union must encourage dialogue with all Muslim groups and the 'unofficial' civil society, and get their views on board.

However, the US and the EU need to deliver on some of the more important Arab demands, including peace in the Middle East and a just solution to the Palestinian problem. The EU as a member of the Quartet can play an important role in making this happen.

Finding the right gateway for dialogue with organisations and NGOs in the Muslim world has always been a challenge. Dialogue has so far been conducted with NGOs, which are permitted to do so by their governments.

The vast majority of the Arab population in our neighbourhood has no voice because its leaders are shackled by every means. For years the EU has been groping towards a real dialogue in the Mediterranean region. There have been several false starts and lots of dead ends.

It is not going to be easy to start such a dialogue with people such as the participants of the meeting on Islam and Reform held in the Pyramisa Hotel in Cairo last October.

Other groups, such as Hizbollah, Hamas and the moderate Muslim Brotherhood, also need to be added. Maybe with these groups the EU will get somewhere - because of the sincerity of their principles.

With the Arab establishment, the dialogue has been slow while the political reforms have been a case of one step forward, two steps back.