CAIRO, Dec 13: Arab countries offered a mixed response on Friday to Washington’s 29-million dollar initiative to foster democracy in the Middle East, with some saying the key to the region’s problems is settling the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Egypt, one of Washington’s closest allies, offered the harshest criticism of the plan unveiled on Thursday amid heavy fanfare by Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Egypt said that if Washington really wanted to promote a stable, prosperous Middle East it should tackle the Palestinian issue before offering any programme to bolster democracy.

“Despite certain positive points in the US programme, we observe that it does not deal with the main problem which is at the root of all other problems in the region,” said Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher, whose own government has had to fend off charges of being authoritarian.

It was time “to settle the conflict, put an end to the Israeli occupation, and give a chance to the people of the region to live in peace and security,” he added, in a jibe at Washington’s hands-off approach to the intifada.

Announcing the plan, Powell said transforming Palestinian leadership was the cornerstone for Middle East peace, reinforcing the US administration’s desire for a fresh leader to replace Yasser Arafat.

The plan, entitled the US-Middle East Partnership Initiative, received a warmer reception in Jordan, although the media there took a wait-and-see approach.

“It is high time for the US administration to implement its ‘vision’ and translate into concrete steps the figures and numbers contained in its partnership initiative,” said the pro-government daily Al-Rai.

As in Egypt, Washington could not escape Arab concern about the Palestinian problem.

Al-Rai referred to the rights of the Palestinian people living under Israeli occupation and stressed that the conflict’s endemic violence was keeping investors away from the region.

The paper also called on Washington to really put its money where its mouth is.

“One wonders if 29 million dollars is enough to deal with these difficult conditions,” the newspaper said, in reference to the funds Powell said Washington will initially allocate to promote democracy, education and jobs.

On the eve of Powell’s speech, King Abdullah gave the thumbs up to the US-Middle East Partnership Initiative, during a video conference with businessmen and officials in Washington and five Arab countries.

Qatar, the tiny emirate Powell also singled out for praise while unveiling the initiative, voiced support for the new US plan.

A foreign ministry spokesman said “Qatar receives favourably the American initiative for a partnership between the Uni-ted States and the Middle East.”

Bahrain also welcomed the Powell proposal, with a foreign ministry spokesman saying he hoped the “United States would pursue is cooperation with the countries of the Middle East to bring about a just and comprehensive peace there and achieve development in all areas.”—AFP