PPC IDEAS at the IRIS Center, University of Maryland

E-Bulletin, Issue 2

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Greater Middle East Initiative and the Helsinki Accords

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IN THIS ISSUE:

Greater Middle East Initiative
Views from the Muslim World
Understanding the 1975 Helsinki Accords
Implications of the Helsinki Accords


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Bush Administration To Launch Plan To Promote Regional Democracy
The United States is devising a strategy to build democracy in the Middle East by offering incentives to Arab nations to adopt economic reforms. The plan in part resembles U.S. efforts to encourage democracy in Eastern Europe during Soviet times. But critics are already questioning the feasibility and motives of the plan, which is set to be officially unveiled in June.

Donovan, Jeffery. "Bush Administration to Launch Plan to Promote Regional Democracy," Radio Free Europe, 10 February 2004.

Mid-East 'democracy' plan raises questions
A plan by President Bush to make a ringing declaration about democracy in the Middle East at the G8 summit of industrialised nations in June is raising questions among some American allies.

Reynolds, Paul. "Mideast Democracy Plan Raises Questions," BBC News, 11 February 2004.

A 'Forward Strategy' for NATO
In a little-noticed but major speech last November, President Bush laid out a "forward strategy" to create more freedom in the Middle East. If nothing else, history may remember Mr. Bush's presidency for this ambitious doctrine.

Editor's Commentary. "A Forward Strategy for NATO," The Christian Science Monitor, 12 February 2004.

First the Stick, now the US Offers Carrots
The Bush administration has announced a major new effort to persuade authoritarian Arab governments to adopt political and economic reforms. The plan, the "Greater Middle East initiative," will call for Arab and South Asian governments to adopt major political reforms, be held accountable on human rights and introduce economic reforms. As incentives for the targeted countries to cooperate, Western nations will offer to expand political engagement, increase aid, facilitate membership in the World Trade Organization and foster security arrangements.

Donovan, Jeffery. "First the Stick, now the US Offers Carrots," Asia Times, Reprinted with the Permission of Radio Free Europe, 12 February 2004.

Bahrain cautions US on democracy in Middle East
Bahrain has said that the United States' proposal of fostering democracy in the Middle East could be a complicated task as no one model for democratisation can work for all countries.

"Bahrain Cautions US on Democracy in Middle East ," Gulf News, 11 February 2004.

The Greater Muslim World Initiative will reportedly be loosely modeled on the Helsinki Accords. Selected information and views about the Accords follow:

Origin of the Helsinki Accords (scroll to bottom of page)
"The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) had its origin in the early 1950s when the Soviet Union first proposed the creation of an all-European security conference..."

Participating States and Partners for Cooperation
Over 55 states participate are signatories or partners in the Helsinki Accords.

Full Text - Final Act, 1975 Helsinki Accords (PDF Format: 156K)
"The Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe, which opened at Helsinki on 3 July 1973 and continued at Geneva from 18 September 1973 to 21 July 1975, was concluded at Helsinki on 1 August 1975..."

Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), "About the Helsinki Process"

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The Helsinki Effect: International Norms, Human Rights, and the Demise of Communism
This book argues human rights norms mattered more than geopolitical power or economics in ending the Cold War. The author argues that the Soviets were trapped by their commitment to the Helsinki Accords-- because they needed it to bolster their international legitimacy. Relations with the West were subtly transformed and a platform created for social groups to mobilize in both the East and the West.

Thomas, Daniel. "The Helsinki Effect: International Norms, Human Rights, and the Demise of Communism," Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2001.

The Socialization of International Norms into Domestic Practices: Arguing and Strategic Adaptation in the Human Rights Area
The author asserts that there are three types of socialization mechanisms which are based on three different modes of social interaction: processes of strategic bargaining and instrumental adaptation (instrumental rationality); processes of moral consciousness-raising, argumentation, dialogue and persuasion (communicative/argumentative rationality); processes of institutionalization and habitualization. Each mechanism is necessary to achieve the internalization of international norms into domestic practices.

Risse, Thomas. "The power of human rights : international norms and domestic change," Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1999.

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For more information about specific PPC IDEAS project activities, contact:

Dr. Ann Phillips, USAID/PPC
Melissa Brown, USAID/PPC
Dr. Dennis Wood, IRIS Center

Articles in this newsletter are for personal review only and should not be replicated without permission from respective content owners.