HE al-Attiyah: says Qatar has always extended a helping hand to the democratic processes taking place in the Arab World.
HE the Foreign Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah has said Qatar is committed to promoting stability and peace in a region surrounded by conflict and foreign interest.
Addressing a gathering at Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs of Princeton University, al-Attiyah described Qatar as an ambitious state “which is keen on development and progress”.
He said that the world in 1930, when Woodrow Wilson School was established, was facing the same problems of today in terms of a debt-laden world economy. “The world today, despite the instability, has tremendous opportunity.”
The Foreign Minister said that Qatar itself was an example of such an opportunity, highlighting the difference between how Qatar was in 1930 and what it had become now.
At the turn of the 20th century, he said, the great depression had led to a cut off of food supply to the GCC area and that in turn led to wide-scale migration from the area. He noted that the discovery of oil was a turning point in the history of Qatar. That was because the income from oil exports was used to transform the country’s economy and society.
In a small period of time, Qatar had succeeded in becoming the destination of many investments, particularly from the US. An example of those partnership was with Exxon Mobil and Chevron. Now Qatar is exporting LNG and has the third largest gas reserve in the world.
The economic progress pressed the need for preparing a capable youth, the minister said, citing the Qatari-US co-operation by establishing the Education City in Doha “which benefits students from 85 different countries”.
Al-Attiyah said that like education, “sports constitute another key area in our national vision as both involve great transformative ability”.
“It’s in a region that has suffered a lot of pain and tyranny that sports can actually be a catalyst for positive change,” he noted.
“For this reason and others, we have worked hard to bring the FIFA World Cup in 2022 to the Middle East.”
He said: “You may hear voices considering that Qatar should not host the event due to the challenges of climate, despite the proven progress and techniques that the country have invested in over the past decade, which has allowed the achievement of this dream.”
Such sceptical voices, he said, were a reflection of inability of some of the parties to understand the idea that an Arab Muslim country will host the event “but it is certain that the football as a global game is what we can all agree upon”.
He pointed to the trade partnership between the US and Qatar, noting that the two had signed a framework agreement for trade and investment in 2004, explaining that the US today was the largest foreign investor in Qatar and the largest source of imports.
He stressed that trade relations between Qatar and the US remained strong and maintained continuous growth, adding that “more than 120 US companies are operating in Qatar and that US exports to Qatar amounted to $3.8bn in 2013, an amount nearly twice the amount recorded in the previous year”.
On the US role in the current situation in the region, al-Attiyah said that Qatar, like a number of other Arab countries, had a strong belief in the role that could be played by the US in achieving the region’s stability and so it was natural that our two countries would co-operate and co-ordinate closely in the military and security issues.
In this context, the minister noted that the two countries had signed last July a military equipment agreement worth $11bn , which “consolidates even further our strategic partnership”.
Al-Attiyah said that the fields of energy, education, trade and security formed part of the links binding the two countries. The US and Qatar, he said, also shared aspiration towards the future, in addition to common values and approaches on a number of international issues .
He said that the two countries believed in peace and were committed to enforce it everywhere, referring to the close working relationship with the US Secretary of State John Kerry throughout the period of the recent conflict in Gaza.
“It was a pleasure to support his efforts in the Middle East and Qatar has been working to foster peace between Palestinians and Israelis for several decades, and has undertaken a diplomatic role during and after the signing of the Oslo accords in 1993. We remain committed to the peace process completely, especially the Arab peace initiative,” al-Attiyah stressed
Palestine, in fact, was the last item on the agenda of the UN for decolonisation, said al-Attiyah, stressing that it was time for Israel to realise that its security would be achieved only through peace and ending the occupation. He said Qatar offered unconditional support for the Palestinian cause in the face of aggression yet never overlooked the need for dialogue. “The vital role of mediation by Qatar during the recent war in Gaza is proof of that.”
He said: “We believe that international peace and security can be achieved only through dialogue based on the principles of equality and compliance with international law and respect for human rights.”
Al-Attiyah said Palestine had been and remained the first cause, as it was for all Arab peoples, but many other places around the world had also witnessed Qatar’s long-standing commitment to peace. “Perhaps this assembly of outstanding students in international relations knows about our role in brokering a peace accord in Lebanon in 2008. Or the very important role played by the Qatari diplomacy to settle the border dispute between Eritrea and Djibouti in 2010. Or also our contribution in Darfur, which culminated in signing of the Doha document for peace in 2011.”
Al-Attiyah said that Qatar would never spare any effort to find a peaceful solution and spare bloodshed.
In order to accomplish this goal, Qatar would continue to listen to all parties and would always give them a chance to make their voices heard, he said, adding: “We may seem a little radical in our thirst for dialogue but we are unashamed of that. This is what we call the ‘open door’ for peace.”
He pointed out that this policy, which focused on resolving conflicts through “political” means, often took greater “human” dimension in term of a strong commitment to saving lives - even at the individual level.
He added that this was what explained the silent but effective action undertaken by Qatar to release several hostages over the years, including, among other things, the release of Syrian nuns and 45 Fijian soldiers serving with UN peacekeeping forces and, of course, US citizen Peter Theo Curtis. He stressed that this important and complex role, which was at times vulnerable to criticism, should not be questioned and should not be taken for granted.
The minister said that Qatar and the US shared a long-standing commitment to humanitarian assistance and foreign aid, saying: “We have close co-operation, based on mutual trust and strong relationship, especially during difficult times, whether directly through USAID or through multilateral organisations.
“Back in August 2005, Qatar did not wait a single minute to offer its assistance to US Gulf Coast victims of Hurricane Katrina. Established just a few weeks after the disaster, the Qatar Katrina Fund supported critical recovery initiatives in Louisiana and Mississippi. Projects, totalling $100mn, included emergency relief, healthcare, education, housing and even places of worship.”
Over the past five years, Qatar has provided humanitarian aid of about $2.2bn, in addition to non-governmental aid of about $390mn.
“Our development assistance reaches over 100 countries, with a particular focus on conflict areas and post-crisis situations like Japan or Haiti,” he said.
On the issue of terrorism, al-Attiyah said that terrorists in Syria only flourished in the swamp of violence, created by the regime.
“The State of Qatar had warned from the beginning, that inaction to address the root of the problem would strongly aggravate the situation. Today, the international community stands with no clear vision or immediate road map out of this crisis. And the Syrian people remains stuck between the tyranny of the regime and the terrorism of extremist groups.
“The fact of the matter is: terrorism can only be defeated in its social environment by giving the Syrian and Iraqi people a stable alternative that ensures and protects their rights, their dignity and their freedom.”
The minister also spoke of Qatar’s ambitions, saying that the country could seem like a mystery, especially when factoring in the continuous media attacks made by hired writers and pressure groups.
He said that Qatar was in many respects just like the Middle-East: “it’s filled with ambitious young people who long to development and progress. At the same time the country is surrounded by conflicts and foreign interests”.
Al-Attiyah noted that Qatar’s cornerstone were its traditions and wise leadership. He then contrasted that to the cornerstone of the US which is the constitution written by the founding fathers.
He said that Qatar’s heritage and traditions were now represented in HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. “Under HH the Emir’s leadership, Qatar continues its journey towards prosperity, peace and stability.”
He noted that one of the country’s traditions was that it could only adopt a foreign policy independent of any foreign influence. He highlighted that mantra by quoting a statement from HH the Emir when saying that the State of Qatar did not live in the margin.
He highlighted how Qatar had a different policy after the Arab Spring; one that relied on backing people and governments formed after the revolutions.
He stressed that Qatar extended a helping hand to the democratic processes taking place in the Arab World, adding that there were other parties that saw the matter different, something he said Qatar respected.
He said that despite the unfair criticism, Qatar deserved to have its own opinion and make its own decisions.
“Allow me to say a final word on a notion that - I believe – animates both America and Qatar today, an insight that may help explain some current misunderstandings or possible insecurities and that is the very concept of ‘change’. The ‘old’, turn-of-the-century Princeton shows little resemblance to the Princeton of today. Obviously, the same holds true for the region I come from - the Arabian Gulf.
“The world of September 2014 is in fact a totally different place. A world that is changing rapidly constantly and often at a pace that is difficult to understand. Just over the past decade, my own country probably experienced the highest GDP and population growth rates globally.
“Adapting to such evolutions - we all know - is no easy task. In many ways, Qatar is still coming to terms with these dynamics. But I would also argue, that the same is true for America. A country that is both leading and being shaped by globalisation.
“I can appreciate what this could mean for a nation with such a proud history. Jobs changing continents by the stroke of a pen. Information being exchanged in nano-seconds. The composition of society evolving. New strategic partners new geo-political architecture and indeed, new economic realities. All these changes bring about great opportunities but they also usher in some fears.
“The world was not always so. In fact, if I had addressed an audience of your peers back in 1912 (when John Hibben took over as president) surely I would have been looking at a different crowd. Today, we see different nationalities greater social diversity more economic inclusivity.
“In a nutshell, a more accurate reflection of American society - and indeed a more accurate reflection of our world. This is for the better, and I don’t think anyone here needs convincing. And there lies another great incarnation of the bond between our two countries. Another exciting window into the constant enrichment of our respective nations - to which we stand deeply committed.
“These values will continue, year after year, to strengthen our relationship and to deepen our friendship. I have no doubt whatsoever that both Qatar and America will be able to adapt to this changing world and to make the most of it.”
The lecture was attended by a large number of students concerned with Middle East affairs as well as faculty members. Al-Attiyah exchanged views with the students and listened to their interests and questions on Qatar’s foreign policy and its role in the region and the world.
