(MENAFN- Alghad Newspaper)
The latest statements by Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi put into perspective the Arab League's strategic vision and approach on Arab-Iranian relations. During the ministerial convention earlier this week, in Cairo, he said: "This is the message all Arab summits sent to Iran and countries other than Iran. We want good, neighbourly relations based on mutual respect, not strained by interference in Arab affairs and expansionist agendas and pursuit of domination. "
This is the strategic framework for the relationship.
It implies explicit rejection of Iranian interventions in Arab affairs, while extending a hand for neighbourly relations.
Is it possible or is it too late for that now that we've already entered a phase of proxy and perhaps direct regional warfare of sectarianism and civil disputes?
Another question is; who stands to gain from this struggle that is draining the life of our peoples and exhausting our economies, when clearly neither of the conflicting parties will win! We all lose, even if the balance of power should shift in favour of one party or another, the cost is just too gigantic for it to ever be viewed as a success!
Saudi journalists and columnists have been taking, nonstop, about the disappointing, lenient and indecisive Arab position on Iran. They claim the media is derailing the struggle, painting it as Saudi-Iranian rivalry, when it fact it is an Arab-Iranian struggle, according to them!
Saudi Arabia, they say, is not the primary 'victim of Iran's growing influence, but other various Arab states!
Partially, at least, this is true.
Iran's expansionist policy and sectarian exploitation really does affect the security of the entire region, i.e. the situation in Syria, Iraq and Lebanon, not to mention Bahrain and Yemen.
The Iranians have cultivated cross-border militias with affiliations to Iran that clearly undermine all prospects of sovereignty. For instance, Qassim Suleiman, a ranking Iranian military personnel, now has unbelievable reach and influence throughout the entire Middle East.
All that is true, however, in order to contain the spiralling Arab-Iranian situation, by means of outlining relations, the Arab League and leaderships must establish dialogue with Tehran.
The two parties must sit out an open, clear and transparent dialogue to explore the prospects of a common future for the peoples and countries of the region. The dialogue must address sectarian, religious, racial, cultural, geostrategic, political and economic questions, in shared light, in order to arrive at an effective formula for coexistence.
The same goes for our Turkish neighbours, whose security has become relatively integral to that of the Arab region.
We need to understand ourselves and our neighbours well, in order to figure out what we all want. What sort of future are we looking for? Are we so adamant on prolonging endless struggles and conflict? Is coexistence, peace, civility, diversity and pluralism an option for our region?
However, before leaping into our dialogue with our 'neighbours and before exploring the strategic aspects of Arab-Iranian dialogue, Arab leaderships must decide on the basis of the dialogue. What common grounds are there, and what common interests. What are the immediate, historic and long-term goals of dialogue and regional relations? What are the threats that face developing these relations? Are any of these issues inter-national or regional? Can we mould a strategic mechanism for real partnership for the phases to come?
'We must come together today, in consolidation with our brethren against threats to our security. However, protecting Arab security requires more than just an emergent, extraordinary meeting in an immediate response to a crime. We protect ourselves by working together, through common planning and a common vision, in a systematic, institutional approach to identifying and addressing threats to Arab security. We need common Arab planning, which requires common Arab thinking, all in a comprehensive framework that defines and approaches security on all tiers; economic, political and social.
Towards the end of his statement, Safadi called for the launch of dialogue among the members of the Arab League themselves, to found for unity and sustainability.
Rightly so, Safadi also conveyed numerous messages to various parties on different levels, in the hopes that the Arab League will bring about its fruits in these dire times of need.
This article is an edited translation of the Arabic version, published by AlGhad.
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