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to Israele Prime Minister
Syria Letter to Israeli Prime Minister
26 December 1995
Shimon Peres
Prime Minister
Office of the Prime Minister
3 Kaplan Street
Jerusalem 91919 Israeljhj
Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
As Israel and Syria begin a dialogue to resolve some
of their longstanding differences, I write to offer
an option that strengthens both economies and serves
as a bridge for peace between former rivals.
As a brief introduction, Global Energy Network Institute
(GENI) is a US non-profit organization conducting research
and education into the benefits of interconnecting electrical
networks between regions, with special focus on tapping
renewable energy resources. In the attached literature,
you will find extensive corroboration for the expansion
of power grids worldwide.
Two recent examples serve to illustrate the economic
benefits and potential for peaceful interdependence
for Israel and Syria to link their electrical power
networks:
- Two months after the fall of the Berlin Wall in
November '89, East and West Germany initiated the
interconnection of the electric power systems between
the two countries. Enormous economic and environmental
benefits have already accrued, even after 40 years
of staring at each other through a gun barrel. All
of East and West Europe will be integrated over
the next decade.
- As reported in Newsweek, September 93 --
immediately after the peace accords were signed
between PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat and Prime Minister
Yitsak Rabin, economic integration was now possible:
With peace at hand, some ambitious
development projects no longer look so crazy. Beyond
Israel and the occupied territories, some other
neighbors could benefit, too. A few of the Palestinians
fondest dreams: POWER GRIDS: Interlocking electrical
grids could save Israelis and Arabs millions of
dollars.
Then, just last year, the Washington Declaration
between Israel and Jordan immediately commenced the
interconnection of both telephone and power grids for
mutual benefits to both nations.
A simple transmission line can be a physical linkage
that will benefit both Syria and Israel. The distances
involved are short, and the resources and technology
exist throughout the Middle East to engineer the project.
The benefits of system integration are well documented:
- load sharing
- emergency back-up
- peak power savings
- deferral of additional capacity requirements
- increased system stability
- improved frequency and voltage control
- ability to retire environmentally unsound or older
generation
In this case, it would be a physical demonstration
of cooperation, an electrical intertie between Israel
and Syria that would serve as an example for further
mutually advantageous projects.
Specifically, Israel could support Syria's development
by selling its excess capacity and assisting in the
development of further generation sources for their
mutual benefit.
Looking beyond the gain to both nations -- extending
these interconnections across neighboring borders
into Lebanon and Jordan would profit the entire region.
Last year, GENI helped coordinate an IEEE
Power Engineering Society panel session on Middle
East Power Policy on Electricity Infrastructure, Interconnections,
and Electricity Exchanges. I have enclosed this
report for your in-depth review.
In the articles , several experts discuss the growing
Mashreq Arab Interconnected Power System which is
a priority project of the Arab Fund for Social and
Economic Development. In Kuwait, Ms. Mervat Bedawi
is an electrical engineer who is driving this initiative
from the Arab Fund, and Egyptian Energy Minister,
Maher Abaza, is a champion for the Africa-Middle East-Europe
three continents interconnection.
GENI's aim is to make sure the Mashreq grid includes
Israel because it's mutually beneficial to all.
It is a strategy for peace and economic development.
Several other reports are attached for your consideration.
Please contact us in San Diego if GENI could be of
service in future discussions.
Sincerely,
Peter Meisen
President
Enclosures:
- IEEE Power Engineering Review,
Middle
East Power Policy December 1994, Volume 14,
Number 12
- 1994 CIGRE Keynote Address:
Africa-Europe
Electrical Interconnections and Prospects for Worldwide
Interconnections , Eng. M. Maher Abaza, Minister
of Electricity and Energy of Egypt
- GENI newsletter, 1st Quarter 1994,
True
Economic Conversion
- GENI newsletter, 1st Quarter 1995.
Why
war? Why not big projects? , Walter Hickel, Chairman
of The Northern Forum, address to the United Nations,
September 22, 1994
- Newsweek special report, Will they come
back to this? Sept. 20, '93
-
What's being said by the experts
Copies of all documents sent to:
Syria:
- Hafiz al-Assad, President
- Mahmoud Zu'bi, Prime Minister
- Muhammad Harbah, Minister of the Interior
Israel:
- Shimon Peres, Prime Minister
- Ezer Weizman, President
Jordan:
- King Hussein, King
- Sharif Zeid Bin Shaker, Prime Minister
- Salamah Hammad, Minister of the Interior
Lebanon:
- Elias Harawi, President
- Rafiq al-Hariri, Prime Minister
- Michel el-Murr, Minister of the Interior
United States:
- Bill Clinton, President
- Al Gore, Vice President
- Warren Christopher, Secretary of State
- Tim Wirth, Counselor to the Secretary
- Anthony Lake, National Security Advisor
- John Gibbons, Office of Science and Technology
Policy
- Madeline Albright, United Nations Ambassador
- Christopher Ross, Ambassador to Syria
- Martin Indyk, Ambassador to Israel
- Wesley Egan Jr., Ambassador to Jordan
- Ron Schricher, Charge to Lebanon
United Nations:
- Boutros Boutros-Ghali, Secretary General
- Nitin Desai, Under-Secretary for Policy Coordination
- James Jonah, Under-Secretary for the Middle East
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