Greater Middle East Initiative: Off to a False Start

Publication Date: March 2004

Publisher: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Author(s): Marina Ottaway; Thomas Carothers

Research Area: International relations

Type: Brief

Abstract:

The Bush administration is preparing to launch a "Greater Middle East Initiative" at the G-8 summit meeting in June. The plan is to bring the United States, Europe, and the Middle East together around a set of commitments to help transform the region politically and economically. The time is indeed opportune for engagement on regional reform, but as planned, the initiative fails to establish a basis for genuine partnership and does little to address the real challenges of Arab democratization.

The administration should rethink its approach and start a new process of genuine consultations to come to an agreement on how all three sides can work cooperatively to address the regional problems that threaten the security of Arab societies and the West.