HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani delivering the opening address of the US-Islamic World Forum yesterday. PICTURES: Noushad Thekkayil
Sharing of responsibilities and joint efforts on several issues of mutual interests have helped the US and Muslim World establish better understanding and also improve their relations considerably over the years, HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani said yesterday.
“Such improvements in relations have together contributed to the necessity of furthering dialogues in an array of fields in future and thus deepen the bonds between the two parties, especially on those issues where the role of the US is crucial for attainment of international peace and security,” he explained while opening the US-Islamic World Forum.
It is generally felt the forum, hosted at the initiative of think-tank Brookings Institution, assumes significance in the background of the turbulent developments in parts of the Middle East and their immediate neighbourhoods.
While stressing the importance of dialogues the Prime Minister said the holy texts have specifically highlighted their role in a considerable manner.
Qatar, he said, has been making continuous efforts for promoting dialogues between countries and people having diverse cultural traditions as it is the best way to reach long lasting solutions on a host of contentious issues.
Meaningful dialogues, he said, would contribute to meet people’s aspirations for security, countries’ stability and their sustainable development.
Sheikh Abdullah also emphasised that dialogues are meant not only to ironing out differences but are also used as an effective tool to address such pressing issues faced by the mankind as climate change, shortage of water, desertification, eradication of poverty, illiteracy, hunger and terrorism, and realisation of international peace and security.
Expressing his concern at the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, which he termed as the core issue of the Arab region and its people, Sheikh Abdullah appealed to the US to work constructively for the establishment of total peace in the Middle East.
While stressing that the stalemate in the Middle East peace is owing to the Israel’s rigid position, the Prime Minister called upon the world to recognise the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, which included the establishment of an independent State with East Jerusalem as its capital.
