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### Viewing cable 05MANAMA1670, FORUM FOR THE FUTURE: MINISTERIAL SESSION ON

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
05MANAMA1670 | 2005-11-14 10:23 | 2011-04-28 00:00 | UNCLASSIFIED | Embassy Manama

`

    This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 MANAMA 001670

    SIPDIS

    STATE FOR NEA, EUR

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: KDEM KMPI EAID PREL PGOV PHUM BA AF CA JA PK TU OVIP RICE CONDOLEEZZA
    SUBJECT: FORUM FOR THE FUTURE:  MINISTERIAL SESSION ON
    CIVIL SOCIETY AND THE DEMOCRACY ASSISTANCE DIALOGUE

    ¶1.  (U)  November 12, 2005; 12:10 p.m., Manama, Bahrain.

    ¶2.  (U) Participants: G8 and BMENA Foreign Ministers

    Peter Mulrean (notetaker)

    ¶3.  (U) SUMMARY.  During the afternoon session of the Forum
    for the Future, participants discussed Civil Society and the
    Democracy Assistance Dialogue. With 40 civil society
    representatives present at the Forum, and eight of them
    taking the floor, this session demonstrated the progress made
    in increasing the level of government-civil society dialogue
    within the BMENA context over the past year. Government and
    civil society reps praised this development. Specific issues
    discussed were women's empowerment, transparency and
    corruption, rule of law, human rights and political
    participation.  The Secretary announced that the Foundation
    for the Future, launched earlier in the day, represents a
    clear example of the parties responding to calls from civil
    society for support.  END SUMMARY.

    -------------------
    Women's Empowerment
    -------------------

    ¶4. (U) Civil Society representatives reported on the results
    of four thematic meetings held under the BMENA umbrella over
    the past year.  A Bahraini participant said the October
    meeting on Women's Empowerment in Manama identified four
    priority areas for potential action to strengthen the status
    of women as equal partners: training, legal protections,
    raising social awareness, and defining strategies for
    broadening the role of women.  The meeting also made
    recommendations for the agenda of a planned follow-up meeting
    in 2006 that will focus on specific areas for action,
    including programs to combat illiteracy, increased women's
    access to technology and employment, and micro-financing for
    women's SMEs.  A representative of the Bahraini Supreme
    Council for Women explained the activities of the
    organization, which works with both local NGOs and the
    government to break down barriers to equal treatment of women
    in Bahrain.

    ---------------------------
    Transparency and Corruption
    ---------------------------

    ¶5. (U) The Transparency meeting representative reviewed the
    work of three seminars held since July in Cairo, Amman and
    Beirut on the impact of corruption on political, economic and
    social development. The groups developed a list of priority
    areas for follow-up work by civil society and governments.
    First, all countries should ratify international conventions
    on corruption and pass legislation implementing the
    conventions.  Second, there should be a public awareness
    campaign on the corrosive impact of corruption and the
    efforts being taken to combat it.  Third, the media must be
    free to provide constructive criticism of governments without
    fear of retribution.  The group is planning a February 2006
    follow-up conference to address these issues and called on
    the Forum to take up the recommendations of that conference
    in its work as well.

    ------------
    Human Rights
    ------------

    ¶6. (U) The Human Rights meeting representative reported on
    the conclusions that emerged from that session:  reforming
    legislation on the registration and operation of NGOs,
    obstacles to freedom of expression and assembly, and ending
    emergency laws and other extraordinary legislation.  He
    criticized governments for invoking security concerns as a
    means of disrupting full participation in the electoral
    process, though he noted this was not the case in this year's
    Lebanese and Palestinian elections. Progress in Egypt and
    Saudi Arabia on the electoral front is significant, but much
    remains to be done. He aimed his strongest criticism at
    Tunisia for interfering with the media and Syria for its
    persecution and detention of civil society and political
    opponents.  He called for a release of political detainees in
    Syria.  Gulf countries had made some progress in their
    treatment of critics, though protections need to be codified
    in law.  In conclusion, the human rights representative
    underscored political will as the sine qua non for progress
    on human rights, which he said included G8 political will to
    pressure Israel to withdraw from the Palestinian Territories
    and a withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq.

    -----------
    Rule of Law
    -----------

    ¶7. (U) The Rule of Law (ROL) meeting representative reported
    that the September meeting in Jordan operated from the
    position that civil society was interested in dialogue and
    not confrontation to resolve issues but needed the freedom to
    operate, which is often not the case around the region.  The
    ROL thematic meeting made specific recommendations in two
    areas: the ability of NGOs to operate, and the independence
    of the judiciary.  On the former, the meeting called for a
    review of laws across the region that either prohibit or
    restrict the functioning of independent NGOs.  It also called
    for a review of the tax status for NGOs, which should have
    preferential non-profit benefits.  The ability of NGOs to
    receive outside financing was also considered a priority.  On
    judicial independence, the representative stressed the
    importance of a separation of powers as well as the ability
    of judges and lawyers to join independent associations.
    Finally, it called for the abolition of extraordinary courts.
     The Rule of Law representative asked the Forum to take up
    these issues and called for a high-level international
    conference to address them in 2006.

    -----------------------------
    Democracy Assistance Dialogue
    -----------------------------

    ¶8. (U) This agenda item began with interventions by
    government and civil society coordinators of the Democracy
    Assistance Dialogue (DAD) from Italy, Turkey, and Yemen,
    which have sponsored events on Political Pluralism, Women,
    and Human Rights over the past year.  Several common themes
    emerged.  First, they all stressed the tremendous progress
    made since the DAD's launch at the Rabat Forum for the Future
    last year.  They underscored that the new spirit of
    cooperation and dialogue between government and civil society
    represents a true watershed for the BMENA region.  Second,
    they praised the creation of the Foundation for the Future,
    which will give civil society the financial ability to play
    its proper role.  All three government reps committed to
    continuing their support for these efforts.  Turkish FM Gul
    announced Turkey's intention to hold two more meetings on
    women's empowerment in 2006, building on the Istanbul meeting
    earlier this year.  Italian NGO President Emma Bonino was the
    most effusive in her praise for the Forum, to which she added
    a caveat for the BMENA governments.  She had heard many
    promising statements by governments about their support for
    civil society and reform.  Civil society, she added, "will
    take you seriously and come knocking at your door to see if
    you mean it."

    -------------
    The Secretary
    -------------

    ¶9. (U) In her intervention, the Secretary stated that the
    Forum amplifies the growing calls for reform sweeping the
    BMENA region. Elections in Afghanistan, Iraq, Egypt,
    Palestine and the right for Kuwaiti women to vote are
    examples of the people calling for change and the governments
    responding wisely to those calls.  The mission of the DAD is
    to expand the dialogue between governments and civil society
    and to take action on the results of that dialogue.  At DAD
    meetings in Venice and Rabat, there were calls for a
    foundation to support civil society activities in the region.
     The Secretary stressed that we had heard those calls and
    responded to them in a concrete way by launching the
    Foundation for the Future.

    -------------------
    Other Interventions
    -------------------

    ¶10. (U) Interventions by France, Switzerland, Denmark and
    Hungary were similar in content, praising the Forum,
    particularly the inclusion of civil society, and outlining
    their governments, particular areas of interest and/or
    activity.  Lebanese FM Salloukh gave a lengthy intervention
    on the historical context that led to Lebanese elections this
    year and the Commission currently working on electoral law
    reform.  The Sudanese FM broadly committed his government to
    the principles of supporting democracy, human rights, the
    rule of law, and combating corruption, all of which he said
    are already being worked on.  These are essential ingredients
    to dealing with the situation in Darfur and the west.  He
    asserted that the international community needs to refrain
    from unilateral action and to be more respectful of the
    specific circumstances of individual countries.

    MONROE

`