We have, undoubtedly, made strides in realizing our various ambitions. However, there remain before us tasks which require determination and persistence to be accomplished.

      As you know, our continent is the biggest producer and consumer of energy in the world. It also has a lot of leading and promising development patterns. It is also home for a number of important blocs such as the South-East Asian Countries Association, The Shanghai Cooperation Organization, and the Cooperation Council for the Gulf Arab States.

      We have, then, all opportunities for forming a gradual economic integration that would ultimately make Asia a leading economic zone, especially since it has all the geographic, the human and civilizational capabilities for success.

      However, we are not making optimum use of these potentials because, up to now, we could not utilize them to overcome the difficulties and put an end to the hot beds of tension. This calls upon us to employ them in a better way with the will and resolve that we have. It is our duty or rather our responsibility to help establish security and stability in Iraq, the Gulf region and Palestine as being an inseparable part of Asian security. We have to be keen on keeping the Gulf and the Middle East, as we always call for in Qatar, free of weapons of mass destruction.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

      These are challenges we have to face up to with a political will based on overall internal reforms that realize the rule of law and respect of human rights and secure popular participation in decision making alongside equality in rights and obligations. It is also necessary that we give the issue of development of human resources paramount importance through the updating of educational curricula and enhancing scientific research plans so as to provide for our economic and social programs the human cadres that are capable of shouldering the burdens of developing our societies.