David Miliband

Six years in Iraq: fragile, reversible but moving in right direction

9 April marked the sixth anniversary of the fall of Saddam Hussein. The attached article in the New Statesman sets out my reflections. Iraq's development matters to the whole of the Middle East.  Divisions about the wisdom of the war cannot be overcome. But there is far more shared analysis about the peace making - its contours and missteps and then its improvement. There is a chance of unity about the way forward.

Posted at 17:09 10 April 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]

Urgency in the Middle East

Britain's history in the Middle East produces a mix of anger and admiration.  We are blamed for the past - but also called to play a part in shaping the future.  Its an odd mixture.  I said on Yoosk yesterday that Britain should take its share of the responsibility for how things have turned out. 

Saudi Arabia and Jordan are the heart of Arab frustration and fear about the failure to achieve a Palestinian state able to live alongside Israel. Jordan has diplomatic relations with Israel; Saudi Arabia promises them on the achievement of a Palestinian state.  The sense of time ticking away from forces of coexistence and cooperation, and the growing fear of rejectionism and violence - some of it prompted from tehran, dominates political and media discussion, and dominated my talks, whether with kings or students.  

Every year people say this year is vital. This year is no exception.  A new American administration, fears of housing demolition and settlement construction in and around East Jerusalem, the dangers of recurrence of violence in Gaza, and Palestinian elections in January 2010, all make this more true than ever. I said in Jordan that a resolution to the conflict(s) was in the British national interest - because of our ties to Israel and the Palestinians, because of our interest in uniting Israelis and Arabs who both have reason to bury their differences in the face of shared fear of Iranian intentions, and because of the dangers of radicalisation that the conflict produces. We cannot satisfy our national interest by acting as a colonial power. We can by being part of a coalition for a reversal of trends towards divison and disintegration.

Posted at 16:54 10 April 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]

Good News Part Two: Elections in Ghana

Whilst newspapers cover the terrible events in the Middle East, there are good news stories around. I've spoken about Bangladesh, but there is also great news in Ghana,  which held its fifth successive - and peaceful - multi-party election.  Over 9 million people voted, but the opposition's winning margin was only a few thousand votes. The Government of President Kufuor quietly and constitutionally accepted the outcome.
 
So, for the second time in ten years, power will pass peacefully from a government to the opposition. The victor, John Atta Mills, is inaugurated as the new President today. It is an example many other countries would do well to follow. The people of Ghana - unlike those of other, less democratic countries in the region - continue to prosper.
 

Posted at 16:05 07 January 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[9]

Simple task

This article by Brent Scowcroft and Zbigniew Brzezinski  puts the Middle East centre stage for the new Obama administration.  It is worth reading.  They are basically right.

Posted at 22:03 06 December 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[3]

November 4th - Middle East

As America votes and the world waits, I will be speaking about the Middle East. My speech, on the 13th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, sets out the case for a comprehensive approach to the problems of the Middle East. Comprehensive in the sense that it recognises that the Palestinian state will not be delivered in negotiation with Israel unless other problems, notably over the Golan Heights and stability in Lebanon, are not resolved at the same time.

European foreign ministers have put the Middle East at the top of their shopping list for the new US administration.

Posted at 11:35 04 November 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[11]

EU and US: focussing on working together

Despite the impression given by some press reports this morning, EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Marseilles agreed our own priorities for joint work with a new US administration, including Middle East Peace Process and Afghanistan/Pakistan. Not a shopping list of asks, still less demands. The focus is on how the transatlantic alliance can work together. And that means Europe living up to its responsibilities. And we have not written an open letter.

Posted at 10:00 04 November 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]

UNGA Re-Cap 2: Middle East

The Security Council addressed the Middle East in special session on Friday morning.  My speech is here.    Settlements are one obstacle to a two state solution, but so are Hamas rockets.  And the unspeakable language of President Ahmadinejad about Jews in his speech to the General Assembly on Monday does nothing to help create an atmosphere of trust between Israelis and Palestinians.

Posted at 10:36 01 October 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[5]

Paris of the East

For people of my generation the word 'Beirut' became a symbol of inexpicable and bloody civil war. That despite the fact that a flight into Beirut shows Lebanon to have a stunning coastline and remarkable location. Three weeks ago people were talking about a return to inter-communal violence after the confrontation on the streets. That is why I wanted to go to Lebanon, and in truth the peace agreement at Qatari instigation made it possible. I visited the sites of the sit-ins but more important talked to representatives of various confessional groups as well as the government.

The fact that Hizbollah turned guns on Lebanese marks a new stage - after all it claims to be a resistance movement to occupation. All sides now believe they have a good chance in next year's elections - a good recipe for stability at least until then. But stability in Lebanon is not just important for Lebanon. Lebanon is both a victim of regional instability and power plays...and a contributor to instability and power plays. So stability in Lebanon is a prerequisite for forces of stability across the region to get a grip.They need to, and there has never been a better time for the international community to play a role. We will - through humanitarian aid especially to Palestinian refugees in the camps and through support of the Lebanese military.

Posted at 13:10 12 June 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[1]

Asian century - European model?

By 2020 Asia will account for 45 per cent of global gdp, one third of global trade, and its military spending will have grown by a quarter. Energy demand among APEC economies will grow by 40 per cent by 2020 - over half the increase in global energy consumption over the period.  Yet politically the region is fragmented between APEC, ASEAM, the East Asia Summit (ASEAN plus three). 

That is the analysis of Australian PM Kevin Rudd's speech on 4 June.   It is powerful. And so is his response - regional cooperation learning from the European experience. As he says: "in the 1950s sceptics saw European integration as unrealistic. But most people would now agree that the goal of the visionaries in Europe who sat down in the 1950s and resolved to build prosperity and a common sense of a security community has been achieved.  It is that spirit we need to capture in our hemisphere."

Posted at 21:56 07 June 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

I went to a match and diplomacy broke out

Arsenal-Sunderland on the last day of the season was meant to be the premiership decider. It didn't quite work out that way....but the Irish connection at Sunderland brought the new Irish Foreign Minisiter to the north east. So Anglo-Irish talks featured in the board room for the first time.

Posted at 12:25 12 May 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]