27 January 1992
MULTILATERAL ISSUES
REGIONAL COOPERATION: ECONOMY
Economic cooperation in the Middle East serves not only the interest of
the countries in the region, but also of the entire world community. At
a time when countries all over the world are establishing mechanisms for
stable and common economic systems, economic understanding in the Middle
East is a welcome and long-awaited step.
The issue of economic growth is on the agenda of every country in the
Middle East. On a regional level, sharing of resources would allow each
country to maximize its growth potential. Furthermore, cooperation
between countries through joint research and sharing of technology would
create a framework of common goals and interests, within which to build
a strong base for regional development.
ECONOMIC RELATIONS BUILD PEACE
Economic ties based on equality and mutual interest constitutes an
important step in building a solid and lasting peace between countries.
In the Middle East, economic relations could contribute to peace in two
ways: as a constructive lever of mutual interest in peace negotiations;
and as a common framework in which to maintain and strengthen peace
after it is achieved.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION ENCOURAGES REGIONAL GROWTH
The Middle East holds tremendous potential for economic development,
with its reservoir of renowned specialists and skilled personnel, vast
untapped natural resources and ongoing technological research and
development. The joining of personnel from neighboring countries as well
as joint research and exchange programs for teachers, engineers,
scientists and technicians would reduce duplication and catalyze
economic development. As the Middle East continues to modernize and
advance, cooperation within the framework of peace would establish the
potential for accelerated development and growth for all the countries
of the region.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION ENABLES ENTRANCE INTO THE WORLD MARKET
Regional economic cooperation would expand the economic market of the
countries of the Middle East. This expanded market would attract
investments, especially by foreign companies and oil exporting states,
and would generate more capital for investments. Peace in the region
would induce international finance corporations to invest in the
development of regional infrastructure.
ECONOMIC COOPERATION OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT
A variety of joint and multilateral projects for economic cooperation,
which would be of equal benefit to all parties concerned, would enhance
the well-being of the parties and thus foster a solid interest in the
promotion and stabilization of mutual relations. The gulf shared by
Eilat and Aqaba could serve as a microcosm for regional cooperation.
Bordered by four countries, it offers a unique site for a variety of
joint and multilateral cooperation ventures.
Possible areas of regional cooperation include: agriculture, energy and
infrastructure, tourism and health.
AGRICULTURE
DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: Projects for the development of agriculture in
arid and semi-arid zones could be implemented on tripartite or
multilateral bases, modeled on the Arid Lands Research Program carried
out since 1981 by Egypt and Israel, together with the United States. The
project, which involves one university in each country, deals with
research on the irrigation of desert crops with brackish water,
cultivation of animal feed and breeding of livestock in desert
conditions, and adaptation of crops to arid conditions.
JOINT VENTURES: The establishment of a master plan for agricultural
extension services and the expansion of projects in horticulture, dairy
production, sheep desert farming and aquaculture would help improve
agricultural practices in the countries of the region.
INTERTRADING OF AGRICULTURAL INPUTS: Exchanges of means of production,
including machinery and equipment, irrigation systems, fertilizers,
pesticides, veterinary products, storage and packing equipment, breeding
animals, day-old chicks and the like would enhance agricultural output
in the region.
Specific fields of cooperation could include:
Developing high-yield, high-quality and pest-resistant varieties of
field crops and vegetables adapted to the Mediterranean region;
Establishment of a gene bank for fruit species originating and
abundant in the Mediterranean basin, to preserve valuable specimens and
for future breeding purposes;
Promotion of genetic and cultural means to improve development and
production of temperate-zone fruits in warm climates;
Improving the management and productivity of tropical and subtropical
fruit species;
Recycling of saline and effluent water for irrigation and developing
methods of water application to increase irrigation efficiency;
Efficient use of fertilizers to prevent pollution of groundwater and
soil;
Protection of the environment by preventing the pollution of soils ad
groundwater caused by agrochemicals, heavy metals, organic waste and oil
products;
Methods of increasing the natural resistance of fruits and vegetables
to post-harvest diseases;
Use of food-grade plant constituents to replace toxic chemicals in the
preservation of fresh and processed agricultural products;
Increasing production of lamb and mutton by introducing genes of
prolific breeds;
Developing crops-pasture systems for semi-arid areas by using improved
pasture methods.
AQUACULTURE: The development of food production technologies based on
seawater could be applied in other Middle Eastern countries with similar
scarcity of freshwater. The importance of aquaculture (marine culture
and freshwater ponds culture as a means of food production and food
supply is constantly increasing, and therefore, the development of this
field should be emphasized. In addition to its many freshwater fish
farms, Israel has developed seawater ponds as a potential means of food
production, with tangible results. It is hoped that the freshwater ponds
may be converted into marine fish ponds using seawater.
ENERGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE
Israel's accumulated experience and expertise in aspects of energy and
infrastructure management could be applied to other countries in the
region such as:
LOCATING NATURAL RESOURCES: Israel's geological survey has established
a good record in mapping mineral resources, with particular experience
in phosphates and Dead Sea limnology. Cooperation in these fields my
prove rewarding to neighboring countries.
USE OF GEOTHERMAL WATER: The Arava region in southeastern Israel has
reservoirs of geothermal water which can be utilized for heating
protected crops on both sides of the Israel-Jordan border.
DESERT ARCHITECTURE: Israel has developed architectural designs aimed
at conserving energy while making maximum use of solar energy. This
technology could be applied in desert climates throughout the region.
SOLAR ENERGY: Israel is in the forefront of development in the field
of solar water heaters. Cooperation could include open individual
thermosyphonic system, open central systems, closed central systems,
water quality, systems, manufacturing, operation and regulation.
Studies could be conducted to ascertain the viability of establishing a
relatively large solar power plant in the region, with the aim of
setting up a power station at a chosen site supplying power to
neighboring countries.
SEISMIC RESEARCH: An advanced earthquake reporting system in Israel
has accumulated much data which could be of considerable importance for
development and planning in other states situated along the
Syrian-African Rift Valley.
DESALINATION PROGRAMS COMBINED WITH ELECTRIC POWER PRODUCTION: Solar
or gas energy centers including desalination units could be built at
selected sites. The centers could serve as advanced training schools for
engineers and technicians.
TOURISM
Regional cooperation in the area of tourism would both serve to enhance
the national economies of the cooperating countries and make tourist
attractions in each of them available to all visitors to the region,
with the appeal and advantages of combined tourist packages for travel
agent and consumer alike. The promotion of tourism between countries
could also include direct flights.
The establishment of a joint forum (EMTC) to promote tourism in the area
is recommended, with the cooperation of Greece, Turkey, Israel, Egypt,
Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and other interested countries.
Joint efforts should be encouraged in the investment and development of
tourist sites shared by several countries such as the Eilat/Aqaba Gulf
region which hosts resorts along the coast of Egypt, Israel and Jordan.
HEALTH
In the field of health, regional cooperation should be aimed at
improving the health standards of all the inhabitants of the region;
increasing the capacity of medical institutions in the area;
establishing a significant level of interaction among scientists and
health personnel in the countries concerned; and promoting good health
practices and social development.
The following projects are suggested:
A regional center for poison control treatment;
Decompression tanks for diving casualties in the Red Sea;
A regional center for the maintenance of sophisticated medical
equipment for utilization by the health services in the region.
Extension of the facilities and services available at the children's
hospital at Israel's Beilinson Medical Center to all children of the
Middle East.
THE GULF OF EILAT/AQABA
The need for regional cooperation among the countries bordering the Gulf
of Eilat/Aqaba - Israel, Jordan, Egypt and Saudi Arabia - is
particularly striking.
A process of continuing ecological pollution in the Eilat/Aqaba Gulf
could result in irreversible damage to the environment and heavy
economic losses to the Red Sea coastal countries. There is genuine
concern among the coastal countries directly concerned and the
international community about the need to safeguard the economic and
natural resources of this area through mutually-agreed pollution control
measures.
The limited amount of available land between the mountains on both sides
has compelled the towns of Eilat and Aqaba to expand along the
Israel-Jordan border. As a result, the two towns have, over time,
developed into virtually a single urban area, separated by an armistice
line. Aqaba's economy is dominated by its port, and the town is
industrially oriented; in Eilat, tourism is the main economic endeavor.
Common ventures between the two towns would benefit both.