중동소식 KIME NEWSLETTER 제7호

제7호1998년 6월

是求事實

No.7 June, 1998

Forward	Osaka JAMES
Study	Economic Cooperation in the Middle East: Study
Activities	Dr. Hong.with Korean participants on May 9-10.
KIME News	Dr. Hong, President of KIME Attended the 14th JAMES Meeting

(Dr. S. M. Hong, President)	JAMES(Japan Association of the Middle East Studies) 14th annual conference held on May 19-20 at International Buddhist University(IBU; 四天王寺國際佛敎大學) in Osaka . This seminar started with the registration at 1:00 PM in IBU. The first day of this seminar consists of special lecture by Morimoto Kosei (Todai-ji), music performance; Shonrpur Project, general conference and welcome party. Total 27 papers were read on the next day including 3 papers from KAMES..

In Korean Side, I presented the paper by the title of "Economic Cooperation in the Middle East". Prof. Song Kyung Sook(Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) read a paper by the title of "A Study on Mahmud Darwish" and Prof. Nasr Eldin Salah of same university read the paper by the title of The diectic expressions in Sibawayh's Book (Al-Kitab).

Especially Morimoto Kosei's special lecture gave me a great impression. I, as a buddhist, found the deep study on his lecture between Islam and Buddhism. Thus I would like to introduce his work in our newsletter briefly. According to Morimoto Kosei Islam absorbed foreign elements from Judaism, Christianity and Hellenistic culture, and was infleunced by them. I introduce the summary of his lecture as follows;

" In this context, when we consider elements that possibly came from Buddhism, we can point to a part of the origins of Sufism as having come from Buddhism ot Indian thought. However, on a doctrinal level, Islam and Buddhism are completely different religions. The reason for these differences is that the religious experiences of their founders were fundamentally different.

The 'Abbasid Dynasty (750-945), the early period of Islamic history, was a transitional time in the formation of Islamic law, known as Shari'a. This was a time when the fundamental aspects of Islam mixed with a variety of foreign elements, when they became conjoined. Did Islam receive influences from Buddhism during this time and if it did receive influences, what shape did those infleunces take?

It is from this perspective that today I wish to take up the various problems concerning Buddhist elements in Islam through this period and to touch upon al-Hallaj, a figure who is known to have had a special existence in the history of Sufism. I Believe that this analysis will assist us in learninng more about the nature of early Islamic society."

Kawai Tomoko's paper was an interesting study among the other subjects. I found the word of happiness in his paper. According to Kawai Tomoko', "The famous muslim philosopher in Middle Ages, Al-Farabi(870-950) uses the word 'happiness'(as-sa'aadah) as the object of the ruler and citizens in the perfect city. And he treats the word as one of the most important technical terms in his political articles. Moreover, he wrote about the 'happiness' in his two treatises "the Attainment of happiness (taHSillu s-sa'aadah)" and "Guidance of the access to happiness (at-tanbiih 'alaa sabiili s-sa'aadah)."

JAMES meeting in Osaka rendered a good opportunity to seek various subject on the Islam and Oriental culture. I also never forget the kindness of all the members of JAMES. I hope to see the JAMES members in Korea or Japan again like this symposium. I would like to express my great thanks to all the members of JAMES again.

STUDY

Economic Cooperation in the Middle East: Study on Seeking after the Economic Cooperation between Korea and the Middle East

The Middle East peace accord between Palestine and Israel in 1993 brought out new stage of the economic cooperation in the region. The peace talk caused increased Iraq's isolation in the Middle East and the other side Israeli status rose. Iraq has been suffered from severe financial embarrassment aftermath economic sanctions of the Gulf War. This prolonged situation caused that Iraq is eager to close her hand with US and try to solve the economic difficulties including economic rehabilitation. While US was pressed with time table during the Gulf war, now Iraq is pressing with time table. As for time affairs in the Middle East, US is in a better position rather than Iraq as time flies.

US attacked Iraq on September 3, 1996 on account of Iraqi repressing to Kurds. This situation is different from the impacts of the last Gulf War. All the Arab countries including Egypt and GCC countries supported Iraq under banner of the non-intervention in the domestic affairs. Besides, Iran and Turkey joined in this trend. Iraq was regained its proud and the Arabs began to unite around Iraq. Thus the economic order of the Middle East is proceeding unclearly till now. Adding this situations, Palestinians and Israelis clashed in Jerusalem on September, 1996. The peace process in the Middle East has been threatened by the worst fighting between Palestinians and Israelis over 30 years.

The circumstances of the Middle East was changed after the Gulf crisis. For example, tensions were rising in the Gulf area the early of this year and Arab countries showed the flexible attitude at that time. Signing of the Israel-PLO peace talk, Iraq's isolation accelerated in the Arab world as well as in the world. At the same time, Iran caught a new opportunity easily to cooperate Arab oil producing countries in the Gulf region. When the peace talk proceeds favorably, it seems that Israeli status will rise up considerably and new economic order will develop more complex. A new economic order in the Middle East, therefore, will be differentiated in accordance with the speed of negotiations between Israel and PLO.

At present, the Middle East has four economic cooperation organizations. Three of them consisting GCC, ACC and AMU is Arab cooperation bloc and the other ECO is non-Arab economic bloc. Though ACC and AMU hardly operate in the Arab region, these four economic blocs have to search for a new line of economic cooperation. In the process of it, US's influence acts greatly as a main partner. The situation like US's attack to Iraq and PLO-Israeli clash are hard to set up the line of the Middle Eastern economic Order. The four economic blocs in the Middle East will act according to the national interest. Now it is difficult to predict their ongoing cooperation issues. New economic order of the Middle East, however, will develop in the form of a comprehensive cooperation including non-Arab countries in coincide with the political and economic interest.

In inter-Arab side, Syria proposed the establishment of Arab Common Market, having the main point of free trade and duty free with Egypt and six Gulf states including Syria on June 8, 1997. Mubarak, the Egyptian president welcomed it at once and came to an agreement for its foundation in Damascus on June 25. It is important that Egypt become a leading state in this trend.

To discuss the Free Trade Zone issue as a previous stage of Arab Common Market, Egypt is reinforcing relations with Libya, Saudi Arabia and the neighbouring Arab countries. It is reported that Mubarak visited Libya to conclude the Free Trade Agreement on June 12, 1997 and discussed the comprehensive issues with Qadafi, Libyan president. After the peace treaty between Israel and PLO, it is a remarkable characteristics that Arab world strengthens the unity against Israel in Arab economic cooperation. In short, Arab countries make an effort to embody the establishment of Arab Common Market and Egypt hopes to play the major role among them.

In non-Arab side, Turkey established a new economic cooperation organization, 'D-8' that consists of Turkey, Iran, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Egypt in Istanbul on June 15, 1997. D-8 launched to compete with G-7. It is a Pan-Islamic economic organization that includes Arab, non-Arab, Asia and the Middle East. The Middle East countries struggle for survival under WTO system. Taking into account EU, they hope to unite in the form of Arab country or Islamic country.

The economic cooperaton bloc in the Middle East is a political body rather than economic body. Therefore economic cooperation within the Middle East is very flexible with the political situation. Since these economic blocs have a political characteristics, economic cooperaton is greatly influenced by the political impacts. Nowadays, the most important thing in the Middle East is the political stability, including Arab-Israeli peace settlement. If it is achieved, the tour industry which connects all the Middle Eastern countries, such as Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and Israel will develope. Also it could bring the common management of water resources for the agricultural development which still remains as a controversial issue. In this contents, we should consider the economic cooperation within the general terms of the Middle Eastern nations including both the Arab and non-Arab countries including Israel, Turkey, and Iran.

Various changes are taking place in the Middle East after the peace treaty. Among them, it is noticeable thing that Israeli changed their mind. Nowadays Israelis take more flexible stand than before against the establishment of Palestinian State. Accordingly, it seems that these situations greatly affect the economic cooperation between inter Arab and non-Arab. It also affects the economic cooperation that strengthens the economic bloc in the form of Arab unity in the Middle East.

By the reason of it, 'Pan-Islamic economic cooperation' projects are spreading widely in the region. In short, Pan-Islamic economic bloc aims that the establishment of economic bloc, that is consisted of the developing countries beyond the Arab concept, reduce the political dispute and extend the geographical bound. These facts gives Turkey the opportunity as a mediator in the non-Arab economic cooperations. At the beginning of this year, moreover, the reorganization of the Middle Eastern economic order is accelerating and the pattern of economic bloc tends to divide it into two parts, i. e. Arab vs Israel or advanced countries vs Islamic countries.

In ancient times, the great role of businessman, the adventurer enabled contacts between the East and the West through Silk Road. The world cultural exchange has been led by the activities of businessman, the adventurer still now. Because of this reason, international businessmen can be called frontiers of cultural exchange in these days. The world is getting smaller and smaller, and becoming one international network society by those people. Waiting for the new age of land transportation ,such as using railroads, Koreans expect to meet the Middle Eastern people who acted as the middlemen between the East and the West during the age of Silk Road.

Korea has a highly skilled human resources and the Middle East has a plentiful natural resources. These two resources have to be combined by man made resources that needs a huge capital. The capital investment, however, is the greatest stumbling block to interfere the cooperation. The economic cooperation between Korea and the Middle East must bring the focus on this point. The cooperation of joint-venture that can use the capital effectively is a favourable means. To combine with three resources effectively, Korea has to prepare a plan to enter into the Free Trade Zone in the Middle East. (This is an excerpt of paper that had read at The 14th Seminar of Japan Association of the Middle East Studies on May 9 - 10 1998 at International Buddhist University, Osaka, Japan under the title of Economic Cooperation in the Middle East: Study on Seeking after the Economic Cooperation between Korea and the Middle East.)

Activities

Dr. Hong. president of KIME attended the 14th JAMES meeting with Korean participants on May 9-10.

KIME News

Dr. Hong, president of KIME attended the 14th Seminar of Japan Association of the Middle East Studies on May 9 - 10 1998 at International Buddhist University, Osaka, Japan. He read the paper at the meeting under the title of "Economic Cooperation in the Middle East: Study on Seeking after the Economic Cooperation between Korea and the Middle East".

Prof. Song Kyung Sook(Hankuk University of Foreign Studies) read a paper by the title of "A Study on Mahmud Darwish" and Prof. Nasr Eldin Salah of same university read the paper by the title of The diectic expressions in Sibawayh's Book (Al-Kitab) at the same symposium.