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MIDEAST: Building New Bridges to Latin
America
By Baher Kamal
MADRID (IPS) - In the shadows of a
critical Arab summit in Doha this week, a
parallel Arab- South American heads of state
meeting is expected to seal key political
and economic cooperation agreements between
the two regions.
According to the draft final declaration
accessed by IPS, the Arab-South American
summit in the Qatari capital Mar. 31 will
pledge mutual political support in
international fora, and increasing trade,
energy and technological exchanges.
The document stresses the need to establish
an "independent, sovereign Palestinian
state" through "a negotiated solution" that
leads to the creation of a "united,
integrated state, within concrete and
internationally recognised frontiers",
alongside Israel.
On Iraq, the draft declaration prepared by
the South American and Arab foreign
ministers in Cairo earlier this month
underlines the need to "respect the unity,
freedom, sovereignty and independence of
Iraq, without interference in its internal
affairs."
During the 22-day Israeli war on Gaza, most
South American leaders strongly condemned
Israel for its attacks on the Palestinian
civilian population, which left more than
1,400 dead and 5,000 wounded. Venezuelan
President Hugo Chavez and Bolivian President
Evo Morales cut diplomatic relations with
Israel.
Venezuela and Bolivia, along with several
other South American countries, have
condemned the former U.S. administration's
policy in the Middle East, its occupation of
Iraq, and its 'war on terrorism'.
The draft declaration also expresses "deep
concern" about the international financial
crisis and its impact on the economies of
the Arab and South American countries.
The League of Arab States estimates that
Arab countries have lost more than 2.5
trillion dollars due to this crisis. The
document calls for the creation of an
international financial system capable of
preventing financial speculation.
Beyond such political agreements, the summit
will focus on ways to strengthen economic
and trade cooperation.
Commercial exchanges between the two regions
increased from 8 billion dollars in 2005 to
21 billion dollars last year, according to
Ibrahim Moheiddin, director of the Two
Americas Department at the Cairo-based
League of Arab States.
There is much room for cooperation between
the Arab and South America regions in
technology, peaceful use of nuclear energy,
the aviation industry, the fight against
desertification, and over water resources,
Moheiddin said in a statement in Cairo.
The South American and Arab Business Forum,
to take place Tuesday on the sidelines of
the summit, will discuss specific
cooperation projects in these and other
sectors.
The initiative of holding Arab-South
American summits was taken by Brazilian
President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva during
his visit to five Middle East countries in
December 2003. The first such summit was
held in Brasilia in 2005. It drew 34 heads
of state - 22 Arabs and 12 South Americans.
The new agreements are based on a strong
political will to strengthen South-South
cooperation. The push for that has
strengthened with the election of several
leftist regimes in a number of South
American countries looking to reduce
dependence on the United States.
For the Arabs too, this inter-regional
cooperation represents a gradual political
and economic shift from traditional European
and U.S. political influence, and dependence
on their markets.
There is scope for cooperation at many
levels. Brazil and Argentina, and Saudi
Arabia, are members of the G20, whose
leaders are gathering at a critical summit
in London this week. Ecuador and Venezuela
are members of the Organisation of Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC), along with Arab
oil producers.
The two regions are looking also to expand
ties at the people level. The Arab League
estimates that between 10 and 15 percent of
the population of South America is of Arab
origin, seven million in Brazil alone.
Qatari officials expect that at least 16 of
the 22 Arab heads of state, and eight of the
12 South American presidents will join the
Doha summit. The other countries from the
two regions are expected to be represented
by high-ranking officials, including
vice-presidents and prime ministers.
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