Conference discusses terrorism
 11/27/2005 3:22:45
Source ::: The Peninsula

Doha: The security and the threat of terrorism in the Middle East and the impact of Iraq war on the countries in the region and their relations with Iran came up for a threadbare debate at a key convention on ‘Nato and the Broader Middle East’ that opened here yesterday.

First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, opened the convention which discusses the role of parliamentarians in ‘Nato-Middle East dialogue’.

Present was Jean-Michel Boucheron, the chairman of Special Mediterranean Group in Nato Parliament. The meet was also addressed by H E Mohamed bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi, head of the Advisory Council, aside from Boucheron. The welcome address was given by the First Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister.

A number of people are attending the convention, including Hasan Al Ansari, director of Gulf Studies Centre, Qatar University, Riad Khwaji, the CEO of Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis and bureau chief of Defence News.

Other speakers include Jassem Mohamed Al Khurafi, speaker of Kuwaiti parliament, Dr Munira Fakhro, from University of Bahrain, Dr Aisha Al Manai, from Qatar University, Anoush Ehtesham, from University o Durham. The three-day seminar being held at the Four Seasons Hotel ends tomorrow.

In his address, Al Khulaifi said that Qatar had always welcomed dialogue and exchange of views as is evident from the conferences held here that aim at spreading free, open and constructive thinking.

Boucheron lauded Qatar and said parliamentarians here enjoyed freedom to express their opinion.

The Special Mediterranean Group, he said, encouraged dialogue and understanding among parliamentarians and their partnership with Nato.