EgyptElection.com reports a US diplomatic letter suggests that G-8 participation in an early March meeting in Egypt with the Arab League should be reconsidered.

February 20, 2005 -- “More about Postpone The summit’s information will be covered and published on www.EgyptElection.com website” said Sam Okba, webmaster of EgyptElection.com



The main issues on the summit were:
- Item1: The Role of Arab Business and Civil Societies in promoting Pro-active Development, Modernisation & Reform.

- Item2: Principles and Issues Proposed by the Arab League Member States Regarding Pro-active Development, Modernisation and Reform: Current Political Issues in the Region; Pursuit of Political, Economic and Social Reform; Learning and knowledge Issues, Illiteracy and Capacity Building.

- Item3: Existing and proposed mechanisms in support of Arab Pro-active development, modernisation and reform plans and programmes and the importance of rationalization and
Co-ordination.

- Item 4: Reinforcement of the Dialogue of Cultures between the Arab Countries and the G8 Partners.

US President George Bush, one source said, is "furious" about the arrests of an Egyptian opposition leader of Al Ghad party.

It is thought that A U.S. diplomatic letter has been drafted, and was due for dispatch, to other members of the Group of Eight industrial nations; it describes Mubarak's political crackdown in harsh terms and suggests that G-8 participation in an early March meeting in Egypt with the Arab League should be reconsidered.

“There had also been concerns about US media reports that Rice might not personally take part in the March summit, to discuss political and economic reforms in the region -- originally a US initiative. While Abul-Gheit repeatedly told reporters while he was in Washington that Rice was due to take part in the meeting, the US secretary of state sounded less certain. Asked by Al-Ahram Weekly at the news conference about her plans, she said, "our delegation has not yet been decided, but I'll get back to you. How's that? Okay?"

“A senior State Department official has said that, "we did not put it directly that Secretary Rice wouldn't take part in the G8 meeting if this case is not resolved, but we expressed that it would seem ironic that we are sitting discussing democracy, while such a situation continues to exist."

Egypt and Saudi Arabia are first on the Washington wish list for political, social and economic reform.

US President George Bush's initiative for reform targets a region known for largely autocratic rule that stretches from Pakistan to North Africa, and includes Iran, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria Egypt claims it has been implementing perceptive reforms and has tried different maneuvers to take the initiative out of American hands, as well as urging its intellectuals to speak up on the issue.

Autocratic Arab states come out adamant that they will not accept an foreign package of ready-made democracy with political and economic reforms they prefer a DIY democracy that much more suited the cultural and on stages with justification that countries are not ready yet.

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