H.E. Sheikh Hamad Bin Jasim Bin Jabr Al Thani Addressed the U.S. - Islamic World Forum.

Dear Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen I have the pleasure to open the works of this forum which is held for the third year in Doha. The agenda of this year is rich with axises which certainly shall form strong step in working towards the resolution of U.S-Islamic World relations troubles. Dear Friends, The axises of this year forum discussions shall review the last five years events since 11, September 2001 attacks and shall seek to define the visions in different fields for the upcoming five years and where the Middle East area shall be.

Therefore, we are required to predict what the near future shall carry regarding U.S- Islamic world relations. It is uneasy mission if we take into our consideration the wide area we handle and the different and various fields for the relation nature. Within this respect my speech shall be limited to discussing some basic points of special importance from the political point of view. In the last five years, much talking in the Middle East area was about the necessities of the reform, democracy establishment and comprehensive development. Activities were stimulated to combat extremism and terrorism for the sake of providing and spreading peace, security and stability.

 Serious events took place represented in two wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. International concerns developed on nuclear armament but the chronic conflicts remained in the area in their places far from final settlement. We may be different in our opinions on the extent of progress achieved in such domains but the constant thing is that the deficiencies or failures seen in the record of events- either in this state or that one- or in the area as a whole, are not simple. Speaking on the different vision about where the Middle East shall be after five years, I think that the deficiencies and failures shall remain in the seen future and may aggravate unless serious and effective attitudes which are in harmony with what we are calling for to treating the diseases of the area are taken, even with relative reasonable degree. This objective- as general principle- assumes in the first degree the confession with some facts related to the internal situations of the Islamic World states and the extent of the external impacts in the past and presence on forming the Islamic World structure from the political, economical, social, intellectual aspects and others. Taking such facts into consideration is sufficient to realize the positive change we look for together.

 Dear friends, The examples for what I am saying are many, but I would like to indicate one near example. If we look forward to spreading democracy, the logic dictates us to confess the results that the democracy practice is leading to. From this base the government of my country has welcomed the responsible spirit expressed by the Palestinian people during the continuation of legislative elections process and applauded the role and efforts of H.E. the president Mahmoud Abbas the Chief of the Palestinian National authority to make the election process a transparent success. Therefore, we see that the duty of the international community is to deal with this election results and respect the will of the Palestinian people which they have clearly and democratically expressed in the polls. The government of my country has also invited Hamas movement to continue the work and proceeding in peace and reform process for realizing security, good living and stability to Palestinian people and the whole area as well. This is the logic of democracy that we all need to spread in the area. Accordingly, the imposing of pre-conditions and threatening with penal procedures are in conflict with this logic before the actual reality is being verified. The challenges we face in the area – we all have common vital interest to confront such challenges – shall remain unless we exert our utmost efforts to encourage more positive relations and provide the solutions satisfactory to all related parties based on studying policies built on widest possible range of dialogue and consultations. The general feeling in the Islamic World as we see is not personified in hostility against united states for mere hostility. The religious factor – from intellectual point of view has no justification for hostility just for mere hostility. Islam is well known that it is adopting the principle of communication, intermediation and moderation. From here, it is incorrect – while we are working to attain our common interests – that the Islamic World is targeted due to the attitude taken by some groups for political reasons, but not religious or civilized ones. It is a situation emerged from intellectual crisis arised from the non ability to form the right knowledge about the other party and draw-up the faithful correct means to deal with him. We should confess that fundamentalism and extremist currents calling for clash between civilizations are available on both sides of these forum. Therefore, the intellectual reform even the institutional reform shall be the duty of the Islamic countries and effective powers together, outside the Islamic world series because it's available on both sides. In this regard, we must exert our best to prevent the provocation and provide the respect for all beliefs and religious sacred symbols without discrimination and not to use double standard as we have recently witnessed regarding the publishing of caricatures insulting prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him). Based on the frankness that should take place between friends, I must say that the general feeling in the Islamic world holds the sense of injustice towards the interests of the Islamic world and its major issues. In the first place comes the settlement of the Palestinian question which took long time despite the international Legal resolutions and references globally accepted. Dear Friends ,,, What are the required procedure ? It is certainly a big question, but we can define some aspects of common serious work. Initially, we have to seek to create an atmosphere of mutual understanding through open dialogue and permanent deliberations in order to facilitate reaching to policies that will serve the interests of the Islamic World and the United States. Within such Policies are :

 1- To work effectively and actively to settle the Palestinian question based on legal international resolutions and reference.

2- To help in solving the crises and conflicts suffered by the Islamic World with necessary objectivity which makes the solutions to be elements for permanent peace, security and stability. This is particularly applied to the situation in Iraq, Lebanese question and the Iranian nuclear issue.

3- To cooperate and assist in the economic development of the Islamic World states in order to strengthen the democratic structure ground.

4- To study the reasons of frustration which conductive to the creation of environment favorable to commit terrorism actions and to confront the terrorism actions with preventive and curative policies and precautions which should not necessarily be purely military.

5- To make plans for executing awareness and definition campaigns in order to remove all intellectual impurities and misconceptions from the other party thoughts.

6- To make practical effective plans to spread the objective responsible media with its encouragement as well. These are some initial concepts that I would like to make you refer to. I am confident that the discussions of the forum will handle them with the appropriate details. Thank you …