'Stability vital to future of Gulf'

Abu Dhabi: Gulf countries should adopt a model of a civilian state - not a secular or religious one - that guarantees full liberties for their citizens, academics told a conference here on Wednesday.

Dr Anwar Mohammad Gargash, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said: "We must continue to pursue political reform and expand opportunities for participation to preserve political stability. Since the birth of the UAE in 1971, the region has witnessed consecutive conflicts and crises. Therefore, stability is vital to building a better future."

"The modern state we demand in the Gulf guarantees the sovereignty of citizenship, separation between authorities, preventing a monopoly of power by individuals or factions, considering people the source of sovereignty," said Dr Ebtisan Al Kutbi, associate professor of political science at the UAE University. " [We must] make sure that all citizens enjoy the same civil, political and economic rights and duties without discrimination," he added, speaking at the 13th annual conference of the Emirates Centre for Strategic Studies and Research (ECSSR) on the Arabian Gulf Between Conservatism and Change.

Al Kutbi said citizens of the Gulf countries demand that the character of the modern state is defined by citizenship as a fundamental constant on which the state is formed.

"The development of a state depends upon its culture of statehood which stresses participation, democracy and equality before the law. Citizenship can be realised only under a democratic and pluralistic political system in which human rights are respected, people's integrity is safeguarded and decent living conditions are available."

Gradual democracy

While Al Kutbi demanded democratic representation and full civil liberties for citizens outright, other academics said democracy should be embraced gradually.

Dr Jamal Sanad Al Suwaidi, director general of the ECSSR, argued stability comes first for the UAE and other Gulf societies. "Even in Kuwait, they are calling for dissolving the parliament because many Kuwaiti people think it jeopardised stability and interests of the country."