VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAD #1222/01 2961441
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221441Z OCT 08
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1652
INFO RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0657

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001222 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
TUNIS FOR JOHANN SCHMONSEES 
DEPT FOR NEA/PI, DRL/EX, AND NEA/EX 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL PGOV KMPI XF AE
SUBJ: CIVIL SOCIETY AND REGIONAL GOVERNMENTS MEET AT FORUM FOR THE 
FUTURE SOM IN ABU DHABI 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary:  The Fifth Forum for the Future's Senior 
Officials' Meeting, on October 18 in Abu Dhabi, provided a venue for 
civil society and government representatives to present their views 
on a number of reform issues and discuss regional efforts to advance 
democratic development.  Tension flared between the two sides on 
several occasions, in particular following accusations leveled at 
the Sudanese and Mauritanian governments and alleged interference by 
the Syrian government in civil society participation.  Nevertheless, 
the meeting moved the two sides measurably closer to the adoption of 
a Partnership Document which would commit governments and civil 
society organizations to work together in a more constructive 
fashion toward democratic reform goals.  End summary. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Opening Statements -- 
Giving CSOs and Reform their Due 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) The Chair, Director of Diplomatic Training at the United 
Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Ministry Dr. Youssef al-Hassan, opened 
the Third Senior Officials Preparatory Meeting of the Forum for the 
Future after a half-hour delay he attributed to technical 
difficulties (which may have been partly due to a haphazard badging 
process).  In his acknowledgments he referred to civil society 
representatives present as the "private sector" but quickly 
corrected the term, recognizing that the Forum's preparation had 
involved important input from civil society organizations (CSOs). 
He set the tone for the day's meeting by citing the need for 
partnership between governments and CSOs.  Governments face many 
difficult challenges due to instability in the security and economic 
realms (in the first of many allusions during the Meeting to the 
global financial crisis); the UAE, he mentioned, is looking to the 
Forum to find solutions, and hopes that its outcome will provide the 
basis for increased cooperation and partnership. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Japanese Co-Chair (as G8 President), Takehiro Kagawa, 
Deputy Director-General for the Middle East at the Japanese Foreign 
Ministry, used his opening remarks to express Japan's commitment to 
the Forum process.  Kagawa apologized for Foreign Minister 
Nakasone's need to return to Japan the same evening, making it 
impossible for him to participate in the following day's 
Ministerial.  (Note: Nakasone returned to Tokyo to participate in 
Diet deliberations regarding Japan's refueling mission in the Indian 
Ocean in support of US and NATO operations in Afghanistan.  End 
note.)  While the FM would attend the Ministerial Dinner, Japan 
would be represented at the Ministerial Meeting by the Senior 
Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Seiko Hashimoto. 
 
¶4. (SBU) After asking the media to depart the room, the UAE Chair 
called for the adoption of the agenda, in the absence of any 
objections.  The Oman delegation head intervened to request a change 
in the translation of "reform" from the Arabic word "islah" to an 
Arabic word closer to "development."  The UAE Chair noted that 
"islah" is a correct and standard translation that appears 
throughout the Forum documents, and declared the agenda adopted. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Political Reform and Women's Empowerment -- 
Civil Society Presentation Summaries 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU) The next agenda item was the presentation by civil society 
representatives of the findings of their preparatory working groups. 
 Presenters of the "Political Reform" rubric were unanimous in their 
disappointment at the lack of progress since the Forum's 2005 
inception.  The UAE's Dr. Ebtisam al-Kitbi, a UAE University 
professor, noted that reform was hampered by inequality, lack of 
individual freedom, corruption, and suppression of free expression 
in the form of Internet and satellite television censorship. 
Al-Kitbi also condemned the role of militaries and other armed 
groups in squelching dissent and free expression, citing the recent 
coup in Mauritania and the exposure of journalists to violence in 
"combat zones."  (Al-Kitbi's intervention prompted a later rejoinder 
from the Mauritanian delegate to the effect that the coup in his 
country was a "correction" integral to his country's process of 
democratization.)  Egypt's Dr. Saad Eddin Ibrahim called attention 
to his former imprisonment and current self-imposed exile, and noted 
that the Forum's inception in 2005 provided a "spark of hope."  That 
spark is gone now, he said, owing to a lack of commitment on the 
part of "the G-8 countries" (in an apparent reference to Co-Chair 
Japan) to continue the process, thereby ceding the field to 
authoritarian regimes.  Dr. Abdul Husain Shaaban called for a change 
in the culture surrounding reform, calling reform "not a luxury but 
a universal need" and insisting that partnership with civil society 
is "not a gift but a duty" on the part of governments.  Dr. Shaaban 
cited a list of changes in the legislative environment that would 
need to take place before such a partnership could be realized, 
including measures relating to the registration of CSOs, their 
 
financing, their ability to network both locally and 
internationally, and adoption of international norms against the 
suppression of CSOs and detention of their members. 
 
¶6. (U) The presenters of "Women's Empowerment" made a number of 
recommendations, including the establishment of a regional "Gender 
Institute."  According to the first presenter, Nadia Ait-Zai of the 
University of Algiers, the Institute would research and encourage 
gender equality and social justice, facilitate exchanges in 
expertise, and strengthen the relationships among CSOs working in 
the field.  Lebanon's Houda al-Khatib reported that the Women's 
Empowerment Seminar recommended the adoption of quota systems to 
insure the participation of women in at least 30% of political 
positions; laws to end discrimination against women; adoption of 
school curricula designed to end stereotyping; protection against 
violence; the right of women to participate in all areas of economic 
activity; and programs to promote women in leadership positions. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Political Reform and Women's Empowerment -- 
Government Reaction and Discussion 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶7. (U) Next came the government delegations' opportunity to respond 
to CSO representatives.  The delegation of the next G-8 Chair, 
Italy, reaffirmed the GOI's commitment to facilitating constructive 
dialogue between governments and CSOs "with respect for 
sovereignty."  Italy called attention to the Democracy Assistance 
Dialogue (DAD) of which it is (with Turkey and Yemen) a sponsor, 
expressing hope that the DAD's Partnership Document will be adopted 
during the following day's Ministerial Meeting.  The USG delegation 
head DRL A/S Kramer noted that while it is encouraging to see many 
CSOs enjoying a seat at the table at the Forum, it is important that 
CSOs obtain a similar "seat at the table" in their own societies. 
Kramer saluted the work of the Parallel Civil Society Forum that had 
just concluded in Dubai.  The Pakistani and Lebanese delegates were 
eager to highlight their governments' commitment to gender equality, 
citing the number of women in leadership roles in Pakistan and 
recent legislative and political achievements in a Lebanon finally 
free "to live in peace in the region." 
 
¶8. (SBU) The CSO presentations had many government delegations on 
the defensive, however.  While welcoming CSO participation in the 
Forum, stating that governments and civil society are "not enemies," 
and notably refusing to react to Saad Eddin Ibrahim's accusation of 
wrongful imprisonment in Egypt, the Egyptian delegate described 
reform as "a complicated process, full of errors and mistakes."  He 
expressed hope for CSOs' "mature participation" in the Forum and 
that the Forum would not be used solely for criticism.  He handed 
the microphone to a female Egyptian delegation member, who endorsed 
the CSO suggestion to establish a Gender Institute.  The Syrian 
delegate voiced his support for cooperation between governments and 
CSOs, but noted that the SARG goal is to "advance our own 
communities."  He defended Damascus' record on women's empowerment, 
averring that Syrian women participate in all spheres of life.  The 
Yemeni delegate stressed that his country is considered an "emerging 
democracy" and that many important reforms are underway, but that 
they need time and "external support." 
 
¶9. (SBU) In a series of interventions, civil society representatives 
and the UAE delegation called for increased participation by Saudi 
women in upcoming Forum meetings and other settings.  Bahraini 
activist Abdul Nebi al-Akri pointed out that all participating 
governments had accepted the notion of reform, but that a peaceful 
process of reform had proved elusive.  Lest civil society 
representatives and governments be fated to merely "jump from one 
conference to another," there is need for a coordinating authority 
for civil society that will work on a continuing basis.  The 
Bahraini delegate welcomed these comments and noted that some 
countries have moved faster down the path of reform than others, and 
that participants must be frank and "acknowledge their mistakes." 
The delegate also took a swipe at "superpower, super-rich countries 
[that] have not played their part" (again, a probable reference to 
Japan).  He thanked the USG and UK for establishing and providing 
funding for a Center for Entrepreneurship in Bahrain, but 
acknowledged that the project had fallen through due to a lack of 
commitment from other G-8 countries. 
 
----------------------- 
Sustainable Development 
----------------------- 
 
¶10. (U) First among civil society presenters on the Sustainable 
Development topic was Tunisian Mohsen Marzouk of the Arab Democracy 
Foundation, based in Qatar.  Marzouk said CSO reps had examined the 
issue of school curricula and recommended the inclusion of material 
relating to human rights, as well as a Summit on Education to take 
place in the second half of the current academic year.  Presenter 
 
Sheikha al-Shamsi seconded these curriculum proposals and suggested 
also that governments should introduce more programs to prepare 
young people for the job market.  She proposed a fund for technology 
and scientific development and an entrepreneurship center to be 
located in the UAE, and called on Co-Chairs UAE and Japan to support 
one or both initiatives.  A representative of Masdar energy outlined 
his company's plans to develop renewable energy projects in the 
UAE. 
 
¶11. (U) Fatima al-Abdali, a Kuwaiti activist, stressed the role of 
the private sector in Sustainable Development, and reported that 
Parallel Forum participants found that private sector organizations 
suffer the same kinds of challenges as CSOs.  Those institutions 
nevertheless have a vital role in formulating policy and 
legislation.  The private sector should give something back to the 
community, but governments must also support entrepreneurship and 
training, enact United Nations-endorsed anti-corruption measures, 
and cooperate with think tanks and the private sector on research 
and development.  Abdul Wahab al-Kibsi, of the Center for 
International Private Enterprise in the United States, expressed his 
hope that the financial crisis would not sideline reform efforts, 
and noted that it is not economic liberalization that is to blame 
for the crisis, but rather bad corporate governance and a lack of 
disclosure, transparency, and accountability. 
 
¶12. (U) The Egyptian and Pakistani delegates highlighted their 
countries' commitment to vocational training.  The UK representative 
alerted participants to the danger that governments may conclude 
from the financial crisis that implementation of reforms in areas 
like education and renewable energy should be delayed.  The fact 
that so many governments and civil society representatives are 
gathered together in one place sends a powerful message, however. 
The French delegate seconded these sentiments and stressed the 
importance of vocational training. 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
Progress and Review -- Towards a Partnership 
Document and the Future of the Forum 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶13. (U) Following a break, discussion turned to some of the concrete 
outcomes that the Forum would seek in this session.  Organizers of 
the Foundation for the Future presented a progress report on the 
establishment of the Foundation's office in Amman and the funding of 
several programs, and welcomed the participation of civil society. 
Iraqi Kurd activist and former Human Rights Minister Bakhtiar 
al-Amin noted the region's cultural and ethnic diversity and called 
for the establishment of a regional "Diversity Center" to study, 
promote and protect that diversity. 
 
¶14. (U) Two presenters from the Democracy Assistance Dialogue were 
given the floor.  Ezzadin al-Asbahi of the Human Rights Information 
and Training Center (HRITC) of Yemen called for revision and 
evaluation of the Forum, including the setting of goals that could 
be evaluated after one year.  He called on the Forum to produce a 
"single big project," with possible reference to the Partnership 
Document.  The Partnership Document project was expounded by Niccolo 
Figa-Tallamanca of Italian NGO and DAD partner No Peace Without 
Justice as a commitment by governments and CSOs to work together. 
His comments gained the endorsement of the Italian, Bahraini, 
Moroccan, Turkish and USG delegations, all of which expressed their 
hope that a Document would be concluded and adopted at the present 
Forum.  The USG delegate stressed the continuing USG commitment to 
the Forum and assessed that the clear willingness around the table 
to examine work with the Document draft shows that the meeting is on 
the road to adoption of the Partnership Document. 
 
¶15. (SBU) Significantly, the Egyptian delegate also expressed 
support for the adoption of the Partnership Document, although he 
stressed that it must "enjoy the support of all parties and not just 
a couple of delegations" and must remain in conformity with "our 
national laws."  (Note:  Those laws restrict, among other things, 
outside funding for Egyptian CSOs.  End note.)  The UAE delegate 
seconded the Egyptian position with slightly warmer support for the 
Document.  Following the ejection by the UAE Chair of four Syrians 
who had allegedly seated themselves in the civil society area under 
false pretenses, the Syrian delegate did not return from the break. 
Neither he nor the Tunisian delegate was present during the second 
half of the Senior Officials Meeting. 
 
-------------- 
Last Fireworks 
-------------- 
 
¶16. (SBU) A few general interventions of note were launched before 
the end of the meeting.  Women's Empowerment rapporteur Amal 
al-Basha, a Yemeni activist, decried the fact that several of the 
original Forum agenda items had disappeared in successive Forum 
 
sessions, as well as the lack of progress in legislative reform 
since the start of the Forum process.  She pointed out that Arab 
governments are quick to rally around certain issues (such as 
condemning the effort to prosecute Sudanese President Bashir and 
indict the Sudanese legal system for its failure to act in response 
to abuses in Darfur) whereas they had made no progress fulfilling 
their reform commitments.  Her example drew a passionate defense 
 
from the Sudanese delegate, averring that the Sudanese legal system 
is a model for the region, that international observers have been 
invited to witness its functioning in the Darfur cases, that a 
special prosecutor has been appointed, and that accusations against 
the President ignore "facts on the ground." 
 
¶17. (SBU) The Palestinian delegate called for a "new relationship 
between developed countries and the developing world."  He advocated 
the discussion of the topics of terrorism and extremism in the 
Forum, and for the adoption by the Forum of a call on Israel to 
remove settlements.  A Syrian activist based in Lebanon, Nour 
Rostom, shared her observations as a newcomer to the Forum that 
cooperation among delegations and civil society representatives has 
been exemplary during the Forum but poor thereafter, resulting in a 
lack of progress for four years.  There is a demonstrable need to 
work on implementation and enforcement rather than just aspiring to 
reform; reform will follow such practical steps.  Finally, there are 
many issues that the Forum has had to elide due to a lack of time, 
including the effects of violent conflict.  Rostom suggested 
extending the Forum schedule to several days. 
 
------- 
Wrap-up 
------- 
 
¶18.  (U) The Japanese Co-Chair concluded that the presence of so 
many participants from governments and civil society sitting 
together at the Forum, in and of itself, carries "deep meaning."  He 
added that while the discussions are helpful, the Forum is not about 
"dialogue for dialogue."  Rather, there is an action-oriented agenda 
for all participants.  The financial crisis will affect societies in 
the region, and government and CSOs must cooperate to get through 
it.  Finally, he expressed his satisfaction that the meeting had 
brought the Partnership Document so close to conclusion.  The UAE 
Chair expressed his sense that the hard work of the Senior Officials 
Meeting would pave the way for success in the Ministerial, and 
brought the meeting to a close. 
 
OLSON