Re-Creating the Helsinki Process: Lessons of Eastern European Transition for Middle East Democratization

With this third issue of the Cooperative Security Program: Opinions, we return to the topic of fostering democracy and human rights in the Middle East. Dr. Agnieszka Paczynska explores the possibility and potential outcome of a Helsinki-style process for the region and whether there would be added value in Eastern European leadership of such a process. This topic has been lingering in debates in the US, Europe, and the Arab world for quite some time. It has now acquired new relevance due to the Bush administration proposal for a Greater Middle Initiative which the US is expected to discuss with European allies at the G8summit in June 2004. In Re-Creating the Helsinki Process: Lessons of Eastern European Transition for Middle East Democratization , Dr.Paczynska underlines how Arab negative reactions to the Bush proposal, which is still to be defined in detail, should not mislead us into believing that the Arab public is not interested in democracy and human rights. However, she cautions that if the goal is to achieve progress on these issues in the Middle East and beyond, it is crucial to proceed hand in hand with those in the region who in their daily work seek the advancement of open societies. Failure to do so would generate further Arab mistrust for Western practices and programs.  To avoid such an outcome, Dr. Paczynska argues, it would be useful for Arab and Western policy makers and civil society to compare notes with those Eastern Europeans that have benefited from the Helsinki process and used it as a vehicle for promoting and consolidating democracy in their countries. She concludes that Eastern European involvement in a democratization process for the Middle East might help dispel Arab fears of neo-colonialism and offer useful, first-hand insights into the successes and failures of political transitions. But she pointedly warns that one size does not fit all and that the proponents of democratization in the region should be prepared to accept the ascendance of political actors unfavorably disposed towards the West and the secular democrats the West favors.