US 'doesn't want to impose'

2004-02-10 09:30

Washington - Colin Powell reaffirmed on Monday a campaign by the Bush administration to inspire Western-style capitalism and democracy in the Middle East.

The US Secretary of State said, however, that American ways would not be imposed on reluctant governments in the region.

Powell cited a free-trade agreement being worked out with Bahrain as an example of the kind of reforms sponsored by the Bush administration.

The United States had concluded similar agreements with Jordan and some other countries, Powell said. "We are looking at what else we might do and how we can institutionalise it all," he added.

"The important thing to keep in mind here is we are not looking for something to impose on the region. We are looking for things we can work with the region on. It's an effort to engage the region."

Authoritarian

With few exceptions, nearly all the governments in the Middle East are authoritarian, with a strict class system. Some provide limited democracy to their people, a trend President George W Bush has vowed to try to accelerate.

Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad al Khalifa of Bahrain, who met with Powell on Monday, said at a joint news conference the free-trade agreement would be concluded soon.

"There are nations in the region that are making very important decisions and steps with respect to democracy, with respect to the protection of human rights, with respect to economic development," Powell said.

The crown prince at his side, Powell cited the rich Persian Gulf state of Bahrain as an example.

For his part, Salman said fostering democracy in the Middle East was a complicated task. "I think 'one size fits all' is not going to work across the whole region," he said.

"But we certainly support the general principles advocated by the reform process," the Arab leader added.

"You can summarise them in three basic principles," he said. "One is democracy. Two is rule of law. And three is adherence to a free-market or capitalist system."

"I think those three pillars need to be encouraged, and each country needs to define how it wants to move and when it wants to move on those issues," he concluded.

- AP