Status quo unacceptable in Arab world - Rice

PARIS, Feb 8 (AFP) - The status quo in the Arab world is unacceptable, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Tuesday before an audience in Paris.
"The status quo is not going to be acceptable. You have large populations who are not receiving a proper education. You have 22 countries that have a GDP (gross domestic product) that is not the size of Spain's. This is not acceptable. How can this be?" she said during a major speech at a political science institute.
"The freedom deficit has had dramatic negative effects and unfortunately we in the West for far too long turned a blind eye to that freedom deficit."

02/08/2005 16:52 GMT - AFP