Arabs watch Iraq assembly

By Nick Thorpe
BBC correspondent, Cairo

Syria's emergency legislation has been in place for more than 40 years

Progress towards the appointment of an interim parliament in Iraq is being watched with interest across the Arab world.

While the majority of commentators vehemently opposed the US-led invasion and called for nothing short of full withdrawal now, the emergence of Iraq as a democratic country would have major regional repercussions, some of which are already being felt.

Attempts in Iraq to improve public participation in decision-making are prompting other countries in the 22-strong Arab League to examine their own democratic credentials.

In Cairo, one think-tank, the Ibn Khaldun Centre, recently published a report on democratisation in the Arab world in 2003.

Some developments were praised: Bahrain's recognition of the rights of its Shia minority, the appointment of women as judges and diplomats in several countries and a proposal for a new personal status law in Morocco.

Poor record

But overall, the record does not look good.

Emergency laws severely curtailing human rights have been place for more than 40 years in Syria and more than 20 years in Egypt and torture of political opponents is still widespread.

The issue of reform, concludes the report, has become a matter of Egyptian and Arab national security that should not be delayed or postponed.

In Egypt itself, there are some signs that such calls are being heeded.

A policy secretariat, headed by President Hosni Mubarak's son, within the ruling National Democratic Party, has drawn up a list of necessary democratic improvements.

But secular and Islamist opposition groups, themselves increasingly united on their own, much more far-reaching reform agenda, want to see action not words come out at the party's next congress in September.