"We do not come with a pre-determined agenda in terms of supporting one plan or another," said Figueres

AMMAN, June 21 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) - A World Economic Forum (WEF) meeting opens here Saturday, June 21, in hopes of contributing to peace between the Arabs and Israel, and promoting democracy and good governance in the region, including Iraq.

Some experts asserted the meeting was an attempt by the United States to revive the idea of a Mideast partnership initiative on U.S.-sponsored Arab-Israeli economic cooperation that failed when tabled in the early 1990s.

WEF senior managing director Jose Maria Figueres said the "spirit of reconciliation" sought by the three-day event also extends to Iraq as the conference would discuss the development of the war-torn nation.

But he argued the three-day event is not an attempt to restart the economic summits organized by the WEF from 1994 to 1997 to promote regional cooperation after the 1993 Oslo accords on Palestinian self-rule.

"We do not come with a pre-determined agenda in terms of supporting one plan or another. What we come with is a genuine interest to provide the region with a platform for dialogue," said the WEF official.

The venue is symbolic -- the Jordanian shores of the Dead Sea, facing the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel.

While the event was planned before the Palestinians and Israelis signed up in early June to the roadmap plan drafted by the Quartet committee, grouping the U.N., U.S., E.U. and Russia, the meeting could now build on that blueprint's potential.

"Yes, we would hope that this event in some of the ways it approaches the issues is a contributor to the establishment of peace," Figueres told Agence France-Presse (AFP).

But he argued that the meeting, titled "Global Reconciliation Summit", is "neither a part of the roadmap, nor to pursue that agenda in an explicit way."

He asserted, however, that "if in some way or form the discussions that take place help the process, so much the better."

Iraq’s will be represented by the U.S. administrator of the occupied country, Paul Bremer, and former Iraqi foreign minister Adnan Pachachi, he said.

Bremer and Pachachi "will be given an opportunity to present their viewpoints on what the actual situation is on the ground and how they see the future emerging," said the WEF official.

But he made clear that "this is not a conference on the reconstruction of Iraq.

"The agenda is more a development agenda," he said.

Bremer's presence will be his first encounter with the world community and with Arab leaders who still feel uneasy about the occupation of Iraq.

"We feel that there is a need for the region and for the world to be able to dialogue and to be able to resolve the differences that we still have through a much better understanding," said Figueres.

The Middle East needs "to move at a faster pace towards democracy and good governance," he added, saying that would not clash with Arab values.

"I would aspire to see these countries, in full respect of their cultural heritage, develop along the lines that would give as an end result what democracy, rule of law and good governance give: much better options of well-being for your people."

But he acknowledged "the enormous difficulties and challenges" lying ahead.

"The forum does not come here believing that quick fixes or miracles can be achieved in a short time," he said.

A meeting of the Quartet will take place on the sidelines of the conference.

It will be attended by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov and EU Foreign Affairs chief Javier Solana.

High-profile Guests   

Around 1,900 world leaders, politicians, businessmen, religious figures and academics will take part in the event, half of them from the Middle East, the organizers said.

Jordan's King Abdullah II will deliver the keynote speech, while Annan will address the closing session Monday, June 23.

Participating presidents will include Hamid Karzai of Afhanistan, Johannes Rau of Germany, Guido de Marco of Malta and Vaira Vike-Freiberga of Latvia.

International political figures include NATO chief George Robertson and Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa.

Several foreign ministers will attend the gathering, including Sylvan Shalom of Israel, Nabil Shaath of Palestine, Marwan Moasher of Jordan, Ahmed Maher of Egypt, Abdullah Gul of Turkey, Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr al-Thani of Qatar, Ana Palacio of Spain, George Papandreou of Greece and Jan Peterson of Norway.

In addition to finance and trade ministers from a dozen countries, high-profile names from the oil, economic, business and world financial sectors will also take part in the forum.

They include OPEC president, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Zoellick, French Industry Minister Nicole Fontaine, European Trade Commissioner Pascal Lamy and World Bank regional chief economist Mustafa Nabli.

The U.S. undersecretary of state for economic, business and agriculture affairs, Alan Larson; the chairman of the Arab Monetary Fund, Jassim al-Mannai, the chairman of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Abdulatif al-Ahmad, and the governor of Bahrain's Monetary Agency Ahmad al-Khalifa will also show up.

Other illustrious guests include International Atomic Energy Agency Director General Mohamed ElBaradei, European Commissioner Chris Patten, former Israeli prime minister Shimon Peres and the U.N. Special Representative in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello.