Dal New York Times Published: June 20, 2005
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia, June 20 - Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, delivering a blunt challenge to the United States's closest allies in the Arab world, called on Egypt and Saudi Arabia today to embrace democracy by holding elections, releasing political prisoners and allowing free expression and rights for women.
"For 60 years, my country, the United States, pursued stability at the expense of democracy in this region here in the Middle East, and we achieved neither," Ms. Rice declared at the American University in Cairo. "Now we are taking a different course. We are supporting the democratic aspirations of all people."
Ms. Rice's appeal, some of the toughest talk in the Arab world from a secretary of state, drew no applause and a mixed reaction in general, including criticism from Egyptian opposition groups demanding an even harder line. On the other hand, the Egyptian foreign minister, dismissing her comments, said Egypt's planned elections were already going to be free and fair.
There were also complaints from some of the 600 listeners during the question-and-answer session in Cairo that her call for freedom was undercut by the American indifference to Israeli "war crimes," mistreatment of prisoners at Guantánamo and Abu Ghraib and the chaos in Iraq that many say has discredited the idea of imposing democracy.
The criticism was similar to what erupted last month after Laura Bush, the First Lady, praised President Hosni Mubarak of Egypt last month for taking a "bold step" in planning multiparty elections even as protesters were being arrested or roughed up and opposition groups complained about election requirements barring independent candidates.
Officials traveling with Ms. Rice said they were prepared for two avenues criticism - one, that she was too soft on the region's leaders, and two, who was she to interfere?
"Most of the region's leaders won't like what they hear, and most people will resent it," said one official. "But in the long run, her speech will make people think about the problem."
The critical reaction illustrated the quandary that the Bush administration has created for itself in navigating between demands for sweeping reforms and a desire not to offend close allies or to apply different benchmarks to different countries, depending on their status as friends.
Ms. Rice condemned Egypt and Saudi Arabia for locking up protesters, for example. She also met with Ayman Nour, a member of parliament whose arrest earlier this year prompted the Secretary to cancel a visit to Egypt. But she did not meet with leaders of the outlawed Islamist organization known as the Muslim Brotherhood, though it is probably the most popular opposition group.
"Egypt has its laws, it has its rule of law, and I'll respect that," Ms. Rice said, explaining the decision not to meet with the Brotherhood.
In her speech, the Secretary began by assailing Syria first as a police state, and then Iran, where the presidential election now under way got no praise even though it has been more competitive than Egypt's is likely to be. "The appearance of elections does not mask the organized cruelty of Iran's theocratic state," Ms. Rice said.
Her criticism of Egypt, by contrast, came in a conciliatory tone accompanied by reminders that the United States had its own history of slavery and racism. "The United States has no cause for false pride and we have every reason for humility," she added.
Praising Mr. Mubarak for taking some "encouraging" first steps toward democracy, she set down some benchmarks. "Egypt's elections, including the Parliamentary elections, must meet objective standards that define every free election," including freedom of assembly, speech and press.
As for Saudi Arabia, where Ms. Rice flew after speaking in Egypt, she also praised "some first steps toward openness" in the holding of municipal elections, but she condemned depriving women of the right to vote and the arrest of nonviolent dissidents.
Ms. Rice's speech, billed in advance as a bold change for the United States, had been prepared by a staff expanded to include the White House speechwriter Michael Gerson, the author of many of President Bush's paeans to democracy.
It was filled with rhetorical flourishes, such as noting repeatedly that an end to slavery, colonialism or tyranny had once "seemed impossible" but eventually became "inevitable." But she delivered the speech in a dry, professorial tone, coming to life afterward when she answered questions acerbically, humorously and sometimes passionately.
"This is a great region of the world, the cradle of civilization," she implored her audience. Noting that the entire region of 22 countries had a collective economy the size of Spain's, she added:
"How can that be the case? It certainly isn't anything about the intelligence of the Arab people. It certainly isn't anything about their aspirations. It's about the absence of freedom and the absence of liberty."
Even critics of the administration say that the increasing calls by President Bush for democracy, particularly in his inaugural address, have helped inspire a broad movement in Egypt known as "kifaya," or "enough," demanding that Mr. Mubarak step down. He has served since 1981 without ever contesting a presidential election.
Under pressure, Mr. Mubarak in February announced the first presidential elections for Egypt in which candidates will be able to run, but the National Assembly dominated by his National Democratic Party has been moving toward erecting an array of barriers against candidates outside its influence.
When Ms. Rice raised the issue of these problems obliquely at a news conference with the Egyptian foreign minister, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, she got what appeared to be an airy rebuff.
"Who would object to fair, transparent elections?" Mr. Gheit said, turning to the Secretary. "Everybody wants fair, transparent elections. And it will be so, I assure you."
"Thank you," Ms. Rice replied with a frozen smile.
A second later, Mr. Gheit said "there are lots of legislations being enacted these days" to ensure that the elections are free, apparently referring to the very barriers that are being criticized by the opposition.
In another awkward exchange, Mr. Gheit reminded Ms. Rice that he had told her earlier that without "a settlement for the Palestinian problem," little could be done. "That is crucial!" he added.
Ms. Rice, who traveled to Egypt from Jordan and Israel, where she had sought to coax the two sides toward a solution, retorted with another smile: "That's what we're working on."
Organizzazione Comunista Internazionalista
