Qatari newspapers Al-Watan and Al-Rayah stressed in their editorial comments Thursday that Arab states should respond to reform calls more favorably in view of the "vital need for political and economic reforms in the Arab world."
Likewise, the two newspapers urged for an objective approach to the so-called U.S. initiative on "Greater Middle East" as there seemed no need for a "hasty acceptance or rejection of the initiative," which should be subjected to thorough studies and discussion, before making any decisions.
Al-Watan daily noted the Qatari vision for reform in the Arab World, and the ideas presented during the latest Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo, which focused on ways to introduce reforms that would help reactivate Arab joint action.
The paper urged for a comprehensive assessment of all aspects of the American initiative, before making a final judgment to accept or reject it, as on the face of it, the key objective of the initiative seemed to be the enlargement of popular participation in the Arab World and improving the economic conditions.
Concluding, Al-Watan argued that the reform process and the peace process could go side by side in a parallel approach.
Underlining the need to take internal and external calls for Arab reforms seriously, the Arabic Al-Rayah newspaper praised the document jointly worked out by Arab foreign ministers at their Cairo meeting Wednesday.
This version, which enjoys the broadest possible agreement among Arab delegates, should be translated into action once endorsed by Arab leaders at their forthcoming summit meeting in Tunis, the paper added.
The paper backed the Qatari vision, as detailed by the first deputy premier and foreign minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Bin Jabor Al Thani, who made it quite clear that proposed initiatives should be thoroughly considered before any decision is made and positive aspects should be met with a positive response if proven helpful to the cherished reforms.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
