Hague joins Middle East protests…well, as good as

Foreign Secretary William Hague has arrived in Tunisia in order to support to the pro-democracy movement. Unlike his previous visit to Syria, which I think was poorly timed, this one is perfectly-timed. It could even end up looking like George Bush Snr’s visit to Poland in July 1989 when the US president publicly backed the revolutions sweeping across the European continent at the time and gave succour to the pro-democracy movements.

Visits like this are so important to help the direction of travel. What people forget now is that in the Eastern Europe of 1989, the history of democracy was as limited as it is today in the Middle East. None of Poland, Romania, Bulgaria or Hungary had any experience of democracy. Only interwar Czechoslovakia had a short-lived period that can be described as democratic. As the Warsaw Pact governments fell, many in the West were nervous and unclear how to react. Even a few years later, Thatcher and Mitterand were muttering darkly about the prospects of Germany unification.

But some, especially in the US government, were steadfast in their support of the pro-democracy movements.  Many in the Conservative Party were too. After 1992, Chris Patten worked hard to develop links with the fledgling political parties of Eastern Europe, touring the region accompanied by one Edward Llewellyn. Today, the West needs to do the same: show faith and support the pro-democracy forces, particularly now that it looks as if Hosni Mubarak may get away with creating the conditions for his own departure. In this light, William Hague’s visit is very welcome.