MEDIA
AMMAN (Star)€”In-a rare occasion since 9/11, almost-40 leaders from Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia came together on Nov. 26-27 to explore specific solutions to reduce the deficit of trust between the Western and Islamic societies and mutually agreed measures to deconstruct terrorism.
The occasion was the Third International Roundtable on €œConstructing Peace, Deconstructing Terror€ at the European Parliament, Brussels. It was co-hosted by Strategic Foresight Group, India and the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) and endorsed by the League of Arab States. Thus, public institutions from Europe and the Islamic world came together at the initiative of an Indian think-tank. Friedrich Naumann Stiftung, a German political foundation, supported the roundtable.
First Vice President of the European Commission, Mr Siim Kallas, delivered the opening address at the meeting which was attended by-Counter Terrorism Coordinator of the European Union, Gjis de Vries plus special envoys from the League of Arab States, Gulf Cooperation Council, Islamic Development Bank and other leaders from the Islamic world. The roundtable discussed concrete and new solutions to some of the problems between the Western and Islamic countries. Leader of ALDE, Graham Watson; and President of Strategic Foresight Group, Sundeep Waslekar, outlined the following outcome of the roundtable. First, the roundtable discussed the concept of a semi-permanent conference on peace in the Middle East or a model similar to the early version of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe. Watson and Waslekar explained that the roundtable examined a stake-holders dialogue at multiple levels beginning with the resolution of the Palestinian issue and broader security concerns in the Middle East.
-Second, the roundtable launched a historical commission to explore common heritage of Western, Arab and Asian societies. Watson and Waslekar explained: €œWe need to recognise the role played by Arab scientists in the evolution of Europe€™s own scientific and technological revolution. The Arabs in turn, had absorbed and translated knowledge from Greek, Indian and Chinese ancestors.€
Third, the roundtable launched a coalition to facilitate reforms and renaissance in the Arab world with international cooperation.
Fourth, the roundtable instituted a mechanism between Western and Islamic leaders to explore common ground for developing a global ethic, North-South security arrangements and Arab International or Euro-Med Development Bank, among others.
Fifth, the roundtable discussed specific package of policies and initiatives for dissuading young people from taking up arms in all parts of the world.
The roundtable built on two earlier roundtables in Brussels in 2005 and New Delhi in 2004 and consultations with government leaders around the world. The organizers have met with heads of government, senior officials, parliamentarians, and scholars to develop the proposals. In earlier roundtables the process had identified Principles of Sustainable Global Security and advocated zero tolerance of terror. ¦Constructing peace, deconstructing terror.
