The Canadian NATO Parliamentary
Association has the honour to present its report regarding its participation in
the Mediterranean and Middle East Special Group (GSM) of the NATO Parliamentary
Assembly (NATO PA) seminar held in Rome on June27-28, 2010. Canada was
represented by Senator Raynell Andreychuk.
The main topics of the seminar were
maritime security and piracy, immigration and security, as well as energy
interdependence in the Mediterranean region. The keynote presentation was
delivered by Elizabeth Dibble, Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in
Italy, who spoke about the US vision for the peace process in the Middle East.
In her presentation she focused on the importance of the continuation of
negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and she stressed that the
resolution of this conflict has become one of the primary foreign policy goals
of the Obama administration.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE GULF REGION: HOW
DEMOCRATISATION AND STATE BUILDING IN IRAQ CAN INFLUENCE FUTURE SCENARIOS IN
THE GULF
Reidar Visser
from the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and Faleh Abdul‑Jabar
from the Iraq Institute for Strategic Studies (IIST) spoke about the internal
dimension of state-building efforts in Iraq as well as the role of the regional
actors for the internal security and the stability of Iraq.
Mr Visser provided an overview of the
two possible scenarios for Iraq. The first is of a centralised Iraq, while the
second is of a weak, decentralised state dominated by outside forces and
sectarianism. Mr Visser believed that centralised state is the only viable
option and one that is within reach, but this can only be achieved if the main
parties succeed in building an issue-based coalition. He noted that Malaki and
Alawi agree on many basic points and should be able to reach a consensus on
issues such as the centralisation of state authority and independence vis-à-vis
Iran.
The second scenario of Iraq is one of a
weak decentralised state that is dominated by its neighbours. Mr Visser noted
that the proponents of a decentralised state are a minority in the Iraqi
parliament, but that they have an influence. He cautioned against the
temptation to form a national unity government that would be inclusive at the
cost of its effectiveness.
Mr Abdul-Jabar highlighted five major
issues in the Gulf region: democratisation, federalism, Islamic Shi’ia
radicalism, the US military presence, and what he termed the “failed state
syndrome”. He then briefly touched on how those issues affect the main players
in the region. He noted that Iran has mostly failed in achieving its
objectives in Iraq, particularly in installing a friendly government there or
in taking control of religious seminaries. He stressed that the Gulf States
are concerned about the strength of Shi’a groups in the region and see the
political rise of the Shi’a majority in Iraq as a potential danger if it
radicalises the Shi’a population in the Gulf. Mr Abdul‑Jabar
concluded by noting that Iraq is a model for some intellectuals in the region
who ask that if political pluralism can function there, why can it not function
elsewhere in the Arab world?
The questions from parliamentarians
focused on the development of civil society in Iraq and whether the withdrawal
of the US forces from Iraq would provide an opening for Iranian influence. The
speakers explained that Iranian influence in Iraq is overestimated and that the
development of a middle class in Iraq that is independent of the state is
leading to the development of a true civil society and the basis of a
democratic society.
MARITIME SECURITY AND PIRACY
Vice Admiral Maurizio Gemignani,
Commander of the Allied Maritime Command Naples (COM MC), and Massimo Marotti,
International Security Coordinator in the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
focused on the international efforts to combat maritime piracy. They stressed
that piracy in the Gulf of Aden and Horn of Africa regions has a significant
impact on the free flow of goods and international humanitarian aid. Consequently,
piracy is impacting the security and economic interests of the member states of
the Alliance.
Operation Allied Provider was the first
NATO multinational and military engagement against piracy in the Horn of
Africa. This operation was initially replaced by the EU-led Operation Atalanta,
but NATO is now conducting Operation Ocean Shield in co-ordination with
Operation Atalanta, US Task Force 151 and the national contributions of Russia,
China, India, Pakistan, Japan and others.
Adm. Gemignani emphasised that there is
a need for a more specific legal framework to govern the counter-piracy
operations. Issues such as where and if to try captured pirates are contentious
and there is no co-ordinated framework between the nations participating in the
counter-piracy operations. Many of the pirates have been released because of a
lack of evidence or a lack of bilateral agreements, which could allow them to
be prosecuted in a country in the region. He stressed that there must be
internationally agreed rules of engagement that clarify how to deal with
suspected pirates.
Mr Marotti noted that the large cost of
military operations makes it difficult to sustain counter piracy missions in a
time of global economic crisis. He also stressed that ransom payments received
by pirates could finance terrorist organisations operating in the region and
that it is important to develop improved means of tracking financial assets.
Questions from the members of
parliament focused on the practicalities of pursuing pirates to their bases on
land and placing armed forces on board civilian vessels. The speakers noted
that there is a danger of escalation if the fight is taken to pirate land bases
as well as a risk of potential casualties among hostages and civilians.
ENERGY INTERDEPENDENCE IN THE
MEDITERRANEAN: CIVIL USE OF NUCLEAR POWER
Lorenzo Trombetta, Expert on Syrian-Lebanese Issues and Middle East Correspondent for
Italian news agency ANSA in Beirut, spoke about the civil use of nuclear power
in the Middle East and, in particular, the Gulf States.
Since 2006, there has been a race to
develop nuclear power in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Many of these
countries have abundant energy resources, but claim that growing populations
are increasing their energy needs. Egypt was the first state in the region to
recently declare its intention to develop nuclear power, but several others
including Syria and Libya have declared their intentions as well.
In the discussion that followed after
the presentation, several parliamentarians pointed out the costs of nuclear
power programmes, including waste storage, and asked about the impact of Iran’s
nuclear programme on the decisions of states in the region.
IMMIGRATION AND SECURITY:
CO-OPERATION AMONG MEDITERRANEAN COUNTRIES
Ivan Uretafrom theUniversity of Lugano, Switzerland, and King’s College, London,
addressed the migration/mobility security nexus in the Mediterranean. He noted
that although immigrants constitute a small percentage of the overall
population in the European Union, the rate of increase is striking. In Italy,
the percentage of immigrants of the total population has increased from 2% in
1990 to 8% today. In Spain, the percentage has increased from 4% to 14% in the
same period of time. The source of immigration is an important factor to
consider. Many of Spain’s immigrants come from Latin America with a similar
language and culture and are more easily assimilated into Spanish society than
Italy’s new immigrants coming from Africa and the Middle East. Mr Ureta
underlined the question of values and that the traditional cultural values of
immigrants can clash with the more open and tolerant culture of Europe. He
acknowledged the concerns of the connection between immigrants and terrorism,
but warned that an overly broad criminalisation of immigrants would be
counterproductive.
Robert Maroni, Italian Minister of Interior, noted that Italy plays a strategic
role for the rest of the European Union. As one of the states in the
Mediterranean, it is a magnet for immigration. Mr Maroni argued that EU role in
the Mediterranean region has been unsatisfactory. He argued that drug
trafficking and illegal immigration networks are often linked and that this is
an EU-wide problem that must be addressed at that level.
Mr Maroni stressed the
importance of initiatives with the countries that are the source of the
immigration. Italy has established more than 30 bilateral agreements with
African countries in an attempt to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and
ensure their safe return passage to their countries of origin. The initiatives
involve equipment provision, intelligence sharing, and training programs for
the armed forces of these countries. Mr Maroni emphasised that this was a
benefit for the security of all of Europe, not just Italy. Criminal
organisations and human traffickers, however, understand the limits of these
agreements and they choose the routes accordingly. An EU agreement would help
to prevent this sort of problem.
Respectfully submitted,
The Honourable Senator Raynell Andreychuk
Canadian NATO Parliamentary Association (NATO PA)