Ministers from 33 South American and Middle Eastern nations yesterday began preparing the groundwork for the first-ever summit of leaders from the two regions.
Their talks could lead to a commitment to negotiations for a South American-Arab free trade zone -- part of an effort to counter US political and economic influence.
Brazilian media stressed yesterday that the leaders of key US allies like Egypt and Saudi Arabia would be absent. But President Jalal Talabani of Iraq is scheduled to attend. The United States' request to observe the event was denied.
While the stated goal of the gathering is to boost economic ties, the summit will bring together leaders from countries that resent America's forceful hand in everything from regime changes to globalization, which critics say benefits only large, multinational corporations.
''It's important for these countries to not be seen as being bullied by the West," said Amany Jamal, a Middle East political development specialist at Princeton University. ''What better way to do that than reestablish dominance on another front?"
Top government officials from the 11 South American nations and 22 Middle Eastern and North African countries attending the Summit of South American-Arab Countries met yesterday, ahead of the two-day summit's opening tomorrow.
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