9-NOV-1993
MULTILATERAL PEACE TALKS
WORKING GROUP ON REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
COPENHAGEN, NOVEMBER 8-9, 1993
For the first time since the working group on Regional Economic
Development began its work, agreement was reached among all the
participating states (including 14 Arab countries) on the 'Copenhagen
Action Plan'. The plan comprises 35 ventures (projects, workshops and
feasibility studies) in ten different areas (communications,
transportation, energy, tourism, agriculture, financial markets and
investment, trade, training, regional networks and bibliography).
Among the various projects, the following can be noted:
- A feasibility study for an Aqaba-Eilat-Egypt highway.
- An engineering study for an Amman-Jericho-Jerusalem highway.
- A feasibility study for an Egypt-Gaza gas pipeline.
- A Japanese initiative for a tourism working group to be held in Cairo
in February 1994.
- A workshop on the preparation of tour packages to be sponsored by the
U.S. and the European Community.
- A workshop on hotel management to be sponsored by Switzerland.
- A workshop for the private sector on the business, legal and
administrative situation in the region.
- A British-sponsored conference on financial markets.
- An American-sponsored regional conference of businessmen (15
participants from each side).
- A survey on linking the electricity grids in the region.
- A survey of existing studies on hydroelectric power, a Dead Sea - Red
Sea canal, and a Dead Sea - Mediterranean canal.
- The establishment of a network for cooperation among universities,
cities and members of the media.
- A symposium on education in the region; and more.
The Governor of the Bank of Israel, Prof. Ya'acov Frenkel, said in the
course of the meeting that 'Israel attaches great importance to the
reflection of the political breakthrough with the Palestinians in the
talks on regional economic development.'
Foreign Ministry Director-General Uri Savir said in his concluding
remarks that, 'Ultimately, bilateral peace and multilateral peace are
one and the same.' Savir referred in his remarks to the progress
achieved in the course of the meeting in Copenhagen, and said: 'At this
meeting, we moved a step forward in the direction of practical
application. For the first time, the working group on Regional Economic
Development is engaging in substance, abandoning the academic
discussions which characterized its work in the past. Agreement on
specific points was reached between Israel and the Arab states in the
region.'
In the course of the meeting, the participants agreed to cooperate to
remove the bureaucratic restrictions impeding private enterprise in each
state, especially in the areas of trade and tourism. All speakers
referred in their concluding remarks to the importance of taking
concrete steps that will lead to cooperation between states, increase
opportunities, and foster conditions favorable to private enterprise.
The Israeli participants noted that the concluding resolution was
adopted by consensus, without opposition.
Morocco and Germany both offered to host the next meeting of the working
group on regional economic development, and the matter will be reviewed
by the Americans in the framework of the steering committee, which will
convene in December in Tokyo. It was decided that, prior to the next
meeting, there will be an official progress report on the various
projects and surveys.