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President Bush yesterday named Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor to lead a forum on judicial reforms in the Middle East as a way to foster free trade with the United States"Ultimately, economic success and human dignity depend on the rule of law and honest administration of justice," Mr. Bush said in a commencement speech at the University of South Carolina in Columbia.
"So America will sponsor, with the government of Bahrain, a regional forum to discuss judicial reforms," he added. "And I'm pleased that Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has agreed to help lead this effort."
Although it is unusual for a president to dispatch a Supreme Court justice on a geopolitical mission, Mr. Bush appears to be pulling out all the stops to achieve a U.S.-Mideast free-trade zone within a decade.
He also sent Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to the Middle East last night to help Israel and the Palestinians redouble their efforts at peace, another condition for a successful free-trade zone.
"He carries with him my personal commitment: America will work without tiring to achieve two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in security, in prosperity and in peace," the president said of Mr. Powell.
The White House also announced that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will visit Mr. Bush in Washington on May 20 to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
Next month, Mr. Powell and U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick will travel to the World Economic Forum in Jordan, where they will meet with Middle Eastern leaders to push for further democratic reforms aimed at fostering free trade in the region.
"Progress will require an increased trade, the engine of economic development," Mr. Bush said. "Across the globe, free markets and trade have helped defeat poverty and taught men and women the habits of liberty."
A senior administration official said the free-trade zone would treat countries individually and eventually form an integrated free-trade area.
"Ultimately, we see this leading to a U.S.-Middle East free-trade agreement — not tomorrow or the next day — but that is the eventual goal," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Participants would have to pledge significant reforms, effectively opening their markets and participating in the world economy.
For now, that means Washington will open bilateral negotiations with a select few countries, such as Morocco. Also, Bahrain and Egypt were mentioned as candidates for bilateral agreements, although the official was careful to note that no formal free-trade negotiations had begun.
The administration would help other countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, join the World Trade Organization. And some countries, such as Libya, appear far from starting talks at any level.
"This is open ultimately to all countries," the official said. "But not all countries are ready today to participate in this kind of engagement."
Iraq presents an especially complicated situation.
"This is something we are looking at in combination with the reconstruction of Iraq," the official said.
Mr. Bush appeared mindful that his ambitious plan for peace and prosperity in the Middle East will be difficult to achieve. He recalled that then-Sen. John F. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, told South Carolina's graduating class of 1957 about the difficulty of "untangling the strife-ridden, hate-ridden Middle East."
More than 4-1/2 decades later, the situation has not changed much.
"The Middle East presents many obstacles to the advance of freedom, and I understand that this transformation will be difficult," Mr. Bush acknowledged.
"Recently, a group of 30 Arab scholars issued a report describing a freedom deficit in Arab countries, citing in particular a lack of human rights and poor education. They also identified the social oppression of women as a major barrier to progress.
"And they are correct," the president added. "No society can succeed and prosper while denying basic rights and opportunities to the women of their country."
But the president is buoyed by America's swift military victory in Iraq and the resulting momentum for reform in the region. In recent weeks, countries such as Qatar have announced major steps toward implementing democratic reforms.
"For all the challenges, we also see hopeful signs of change," the president said. "About half of all the Muslim people live under democratic rule in nations from Turkey to Indonesia."
Although Mr. Bush campaigned for president on a platform that included a disdain for "nation building," yesterday he called for the United States to become deeply involved in the affairs of Middle Eastern nations.
• Jeffrey Sparshott contributed to this http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20030510-21315839.htm
"So America will sponsor, with the government of Bahrain, a regional forum to discuss judicial reforms," he added. "And I'm pleased that Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has agreed to help lead this effort."
Although it is unusual for a president to dispatch a Supreme Court justice on a geopolitical mission, Mr. Bush appears to be pulling out all the stops to achieve a U.S.-Mideast free-trade zone within a decade.
He also sent Secretary of State Colin L. Powell to the Middle East last night to help Israel and the Palestinians redouble their efforts at peace, another condition for a successful free-trade zone.
"He carries with him my personal commitment: America will work without tiring to achieve two states, Israel and Palestine, living side by side in security, in prosperity and in peace," the president said of Mr. Powell.
The White House also announced that Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will visit Mr. Bush in Washington on May 20 to discuss the situation in the Middle East.
Next month, Mr. Powell and U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick will travel to the World Economic Forum in Jordan, where they will meet with Middle Eastern leaders to push for further democratic reforms aimed at fostering free trade in the region.
"Progress will require an increased trade, the engine of economic development," Mr. Bush said. "Across the globe, free markets and trade have helped defeat poverty and taught men and women the habits of liberty."
A senior administration official said the free-trade zone would treat countries individually and eventually form an integrated free-trade area.
"Ultimately, we see this leading to a U.S.-Middle East free-trade agreement — not tomorrow or the next day — but that is the eventual goal," said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
Participants would have to pledge significant reforms, effectively opening their markets and participating in the world economy.
For now, that means Washington will open bilateral negotiations with a select few countries, such as Morocco. Also, Bahrain and Egypt were mentioned as candidates for bilateral agreements, although the official was careful to note that no formal free-trade negotiations had begun.
The administration would help other countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia, join the World Trade Organization. And some countries, such as Libya, appear far from starting talks at any level.
"This is open ultimately to all countries," the official said. "But not all countries are ready today to participate in this kind of engagement."
Iraq presents an especially complicated situation.
"This is something we are looking at in combination with the reconstruction of Iraq," the official said.
Mr. Bush appeared mindful that his ambitious plan for peace and prosperity in the Middle East will be difficult to achieve. He recalled that then-Sen. John F. Kennedy, Massachusetts Democrat, told South Carolina's graduating class of 1957 about the difficulty of "untangling the strife-ridden, hate-ridden Middle East."
More than 4-1/2 decades later, the situation has not changed much.
"The Middle East presents many obstacles to the advance of freedom, and I understand that this transformation will be difficult," Mr. Bush acknowledged.
"Recently, a group of 30 Arab scholars issued a report describing a freedom deficit in Arab countries, citing in particular a lack of human rights and poor education. They also identified the social oppression of women as a major barrier to progress.
"And they are correct," the president added. "No society can succeed and prosper while denying basic rights and opportunities to the women of their country."
But the president is buoyed by America's swift military victory in Iraq and the resulting momentum for reform in the region. In recent weeks, countries such as Qatar have announced major steps toward implementing democratic reforms.
"For all the challenges, we also see hopeful signs of change," the president said. "About half of all the Muslim people live under democratic rule in nations from Turkey to Indonesia."
Although Mr. Bush campaigned for president on a platform that included a disdain for "nation building," yesterday he called for the United States to become deeply involved in the affairs of Middle Eastern nations.
• Jeffrey Sparshott contributed to this http://www.washingtontimes.com/national/20030510-21315839.htm