CAIRO, April 12, 2005 (IslamOnline.net) – The Euro-Islamic dialogue is just “hypothetical” as it is basically driven by security and political interests and not by a sincere desire to make it a success, Egyptian academics and experts said on Monday, April 11.

“Let’s be realistic about this; the Euro-Islamic dialogue is just on paper,” Emaduldin Shahin, professor of political sciences in the American University in Cairo (AUC) said.

“There is no any sort of continued dialogue between the European Union and moderate Islamic powers.”

Shahin was addressing a three-day symposium that kicked off Sunday, April 10, and is organized by the Cairo University’s Dialogue Among Civilizations Program under the title “Toward an Arab Vision for Activating the Euro Mediterranean Dialogue and Enhancing Bilateral Interests.”

“It is wishful thinking to assume that the EU will take the initiative in inviting moderate Muslim leaders to a constructive dialogue,” soft-spoken Shahin said.

The academic believes the Europeans are themselves divided on the dialogue, but united on what serves best their own interests.

“And these interests can be summed up in just one word: security,” he said. “Illegal immigration, organized crime and Muslim fundamentalists gave them cause for concern.”

But Islamists also have their own fears and doubts about “self-centered” Europeans.

“Islamist groups are a bit offended that the Europeans, like the US, consider Islam a danger that must be contained and a source of terrorism,” Shahin said.

Islamists, he adds, do not want to leave the impression that they are backed “implicitly” recognized by the West.

“An official recognition from their governments is far important to them,” he said.

But Shahin said some Europeans have proved “pragmatic” and decided to ignore moderate Islamic groups.

“Because they are convinced that they will not be at the helm of their respective countries and; therefore, don’t want to antagonize current regimes,” he said.

“Or perhaps because they believe that Islamists are not democratic and take democracy as a slogan to assume power.”

Diaa Rashwan, journalist at Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, had a sharp metaphor.

“The Europeans wanted to get closer to the Muslim mindset as if they were anthropologists,” he said.

And he calls the Euro-Mediterranean dialogue “exploratory.”

“In fact, the 1995 Barcelona Process [the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership] was actually launched against a backdrop of security fears.”

Rashwan further accused the Europeans of having double standards when dealing with Muslim states.

“Take Sudan and Iran, they punish the former and court the latter because it’s all about politics and security.”

But the Euro-Islamic dialogue is not at all impossible at the end of the day.

“It can be done through apolitical Islamic NGOs and moderate political powers,” Shahin said.

He added that it was in the interest of the EU countries to enter into a dialogue with moderate Islamic groups for a stable Middle East and a progressive reform process.

“Real reforms depend on an all-inclusive dialogue that includes moderate Muslims,” he said.

Mohammad Sakkar, professor of political sciences in Cairo University, said famed Europeans thinkers, like French Roger Garaudy and German Murad Hoffman, have a pivotal role to play.

He said those thinkers can come up with a modern vision providing a panacea for Muslim problems in western societies.

“For a real dialogue, Muslims should forget all about their problems in the Arab world, particularly the political ones,” he told the audience.