AmCham hosted former US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, currently chairwoman of the National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) and former Congressman (R-Minn) Vin Weber, chairman of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and vice chairman of Empower America, for a special luncheon on January 26.

Weber explained that the bipartisan nature of their visit reflected their common goal of promoting democratic institutions. “There is genuine bipartisanship and agreement in the United States to achieve something better for the entire world,” he said. “Secretary Albright and myself, through our chairmanships of the NED and NDI, are active in that process.”

Weber pointed out that the world was facing many challenges in light of events that have unfolded over the past four years, but pointed out that there were also opportunities for Egyptian-American bilateral relations to grow in spite of political differences on Iraq and Palestine. “We should not lose sight of the fact that we have a long and strong relationship [with Egypt],” he said, adding that the opportunity to expand the economic nature of this relationship has never been stronger.

On her part, Albright described the unpopularity of US Middle East foreign policy over the past four years as “the perfect storm.” “We are in one of the most difficult times we have ever experienced,” she said. “There are so many troubling issues in terms of our classical relationship with allies, new relationships that have come on the scene and issues that have to do with understanding other cultures.”

Albright described the US relationship with Egypt and the region as central to many of the issues confronted by America. “The Middle East is at the moment at the center of the perfect storm [because of the events] in Iraq and the ongoing issues with the Israeli-Palestinian discussions. There are [also] questions that many Americans have about understanding the evolution of Islam,” she said. There is a tendency in the US to view the Arab world as a monolithic entity rather than acknowledging that it is comprised of individual countries with varying historical backgrounds, she added.

The former Secretary of State described US-Egypt ties as strained, but felt there were significant possibilities for reinvigorating this relationship in the near future. She said that in recent months there has been growing emphasis on the relationship between economic and political development, issues she argued were central to the Clinton administration. Democracies can’t function without vibrant economies, she said, noting that vibrant economies come from economic liberalization, which creates the middle class essential for democracy. “I believe they must go hand-in-hand,” she said, noting that Egypt has made economic development an important aspect of its political development and its experience is crucial to the stability of the region, particularly in Palestine and Iraq.

On the Palestine issue, Weber said the US did not prioritize peace talks because of the belief that negotiations were “burnt out.” However he was optimistic of President Bush’s commitment to supporting the Palestinians. “I am hopeful the present administration will be able to complete that task in the next few years. After all, President Bush was the first president who has said he [supports the creation of a] Palestinian state. But, the US is not the only player. Egypt, as a dominant country [in the region] has a major role to play in moving towards an agreement,” he said.

Albright, on the other hand, faulted the US administration for ignoring the Palestine issue during the past four years. While she believes that the deal the Palestinians turned down at the end of the Clinton term in 2000 was the best they will ever get, she said the death of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat created a window of opportunity for the resumption of peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. “The [challenge] will be getting some kind of a plan which looks like the parameters that President Clinton suggested and getting that on the table rapidly to give the Palestinians a sense of encouragement.” She also predicted that the US administration will be more heavily involved this time around.

Weber did not address the issue of Iraq. Albright, on the other hand, was highly critical of the Bush Administration’s decision to go ahead with the war. “I have always said that the war in Iraq was one of choice and not necessity, but getting it right is a necessity and not a choice,” she said. “The chaotic situation that it has created impacted Egypt, the region and the United States.”

Albright said the goal now is to find a way in which the Iraqis can manage their own affairs. “The strategic view [has] to also consider how to get [things to] a situation where the Iraqis can govern themselves. The presence of the US in Iraq is not a stabilizing factor. The question is how to manage the problem of security [while keeping in mind that] America's presence is an irritant,” she said.

While Albright did not have any specific suggestions for resolving the problem, the she pointed out that the solution would not be a bilateral one. Rather multi-lateral cooperation would be needed to rebuild Iraq, with the first step being to rebuild the legitimacy of the United Nations.

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