The Foreign Service Journal, March 2003

framework of events taking place in the Near East, or at times of crisis. Of course, we are part of the Arab world, and we are con- cerned with and affected by events taking place in any of its parts. However, we do have inter- ests and preoccupations that are not directly related to the eastern part of the Arab world. But because of our historic links with Europe, especially France, the United States has traditionally stayed out of this region, especially in the economic, social and cultural areas. Geographic distance and the limited use of English in North Africa are other major obstacles to greater interac- tion between the U.S. and the Maghreb, but the real problem is lack of interest. For example, American trade and investment here outside the energy sector are insignificant. The exchange of students and scholars, media coverage, and tourism are all limited. This is not to say that the U.S. alone is responsible for this situation. North African governments have not done enough to make themselves attractive to foreign invest- ments, and have failed to integrate their individual small markets into a larger single one. Both Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman and Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns emphasized this point during their respective visits to the area in late 2002. Our busi- nessmen lack the resources and the proper mentality to go after an American market reputed to be difficult and demanding. Our governments are unaware or uncon- vinced of the importance of lobbying in American poli- tics. For instance, no Maghreb state has, to my knowl- edge, professional lobbyists representing their interests in Washington. The Next Two Years There are signs that this situation may be changing. Secretary Powell has honored our region with his pres- ence once, when he visited Morocco in April 2002, although the bulk of his meeting with King Mohammed VI, as he indicated in a press conference, “was spent on the situation in the Middle East.” On the other hand, Under Secretary Grossman declared at the end of his visit to the region in November 2002 that the focus of his talks with offi- cials was on economic issues: “This is the news in North Africa,” he said in Rabat, and added that the U.S. wants to take up other issues as well, such as political reform and democratization. Mr. Grossman also indicated that Washington is interested in reviving the project initiated during the Clinton administration by then-Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs Stuart Eisenstadt, aimed at setting up a U.S.-North African Economic Partnership. Toward that end, he announced that the U.S. would soon start negotiating free-trade agreements with Morocco and other countries in the region. These are steps in the right direction and, small as they may be, they indicate that the Maghreb is not totally ignored by the State Department. Still, what Mr. Powell said with regard to the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative applies to us as well: “[W]e should avoid resign- ing ourselves to low expectations.” I would like to see stronger, more durable and more diversified relations between the United States and North Africa. If the glass is seen as half-empty, we can view Mr. Powell as having done little to achieve that objective. I prefer to see the glass as half-full, and to argue that at least the Maghreb continues to figure on Mr. Powell’s agenda; it may even be rising in his order of priorities. What are the prospects for the remainder of the secre- tary’s term in office? Mr. Powell’s job is to carry out the decisions of the president. He advises him, and he can try to influence him, but he does not decide policy. By words and by deeds, President Bush is carrying out a foreign pol- icy that public opinion in the Arab world considers unfriendly, if not outright aggressive. But most people here are unaware of, or unconcerned by, these constitu- tional considerations, and will therefore blame the secre- tary for the U.S. government’s actions. I do not know what Mr. Powell’s personal convictions are with regard to the Arab world, but he cannot be eval- uated on that basis. Only observable acts count, and on that basis, Mr. Powell’s report card is not as favorable as one would like it to be. Nor is it likely to improve in the immediate future. F O C U S 28 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / M A R C H 2 0 0 3 It does not appear that Secretary Powell has pushed for a more balanced and equitable policy in the Middle East.