IN THE NAME OF GOD

THE MOST COMPASSIONATE, THE MOST MERCIFUL

Honourable Brothers, Members of the Advisory Council,

 In the name of God and with His blessing, I declare this new session, the 28th, open for the deliberations of your esteemed Council.

 Brothers,

 It is a source of happiness to me that we meet here today as we do every year to open a session of this Council which we regard as a fundamental pillar of rule and of the State because “Shura”, to us, is the practical expression of our unwavering commitment to proceed with the realization of responsible popular participation in decision making, in monitoring it and following up its implementation. It is also the proper framework and basic step which must be taken to continue our uninterrupted and persistent endeavour to develop the forms of this participation and promote them to constitutional institutions that would ensure its effectiveness for the realization of the goal for which we seek, namely the building of the state of institutions such as that to which we aspire. And this will take place, with the Will of God.

 As has been mentioned on a previous occasion, our determination to increase popular participation in decision making and bear its consequences, is firm and irrevocable. Your esteemed Council falls into this context, which is to follow up government actions, express your opinion on its performance and evaluate its achievements, since this is the first step along the desired constitutional course.

 This annual meeting is a dear occasion where we review with you the record of our actions, the conditions in our country and region, our relations with our surroundings and the world in which we live. As such, it is a meeting we believe to be a proper framework for reviewing and revising the achievements we have made, and evaluate their positive and negative results, and plan accordingly for drawing the prospects of the future so that we can crystallize and achieve our desired goals.

 Brothers,

 Last year was full of achievements, and rich in events and changes. Internally, much has been achieved, of which we can be proud, in the field of development for the progress of our society. In all those efforts and endeavours, we were very keen and firm on maintaining the delicate balance between our economic priorities and political basics and our social choices on the basis of our cultural characteristics and religious identity.

 In this respect, we are proud that our country has gone through a democratic experience for the establishment of the foundations of which we work with all dedication and efforts in the conviction that support to this march and making its course a success is determined by the extent of participation of all our countrymen. Entering the 21st century entails that we effectively belong to the age we live. This cannot be achieved except through consolidating the fundamentals of the state of law and institutions, and respect of opinions as long as they target the higher interest of the homeland. 

What strengthens our trust in this course is what our country witnessed last March, namely the first elections to elect the members of the Central Municipal Council by direct, free ballot, which reinforced our deep conviction of the extent of maturity of the Qatari citizen and his keenness on bearing responsibility in all competence and merit, and because of our conviction that success of the democratic process is vital and necessary for the future of our country and society.

 In accordance with what we announced last year in our address before your esteemed Council, we have issued our decision on the formation of the Committee for the drawing of the permanent constitution of the country, formed of those of competence and specialization, one of the top tasks of which is to write a new constitution that stipulates the formation of a legislative council to be elected through direct popular voting, which will represent, with the Will of God, crowning of our endeavour to establish popular participation as a basis of rule, and strengthen the pillars of the state of institutions and the law.

 In parallel to that, the government spared no effort to carry out its constitutional duties as represented in realizing the draft regulations and laws it was entrusted with bearing in mind the realization of our plans for development, social and economic, scientific and educational progress for our country and decent living for our people.

 When I spoke to you here last year, the economic and financial situations were going through difficult conditions that affected countries and extensive regions, some of which were up to that time examples of flourishing and high growth rates. It was natural that international economic and monetary situation would reflect on a country like ours where the criteria of the economic cycle are closely linked to foreign markets.

 Brothers,

 You remember, undoubtedly, how these developments led to a fall in the demand for oil and gas and their by-products as a result of the drop in the rates of consumption, and how this was accompanied by a surplus in the supplies of these vital substances in world markets as a result of the rise in production and extraction rates in the exporting countries, which caused a drop in prices at high percentages that at one time reached more than 40% in less than one year. This in turn resulted in a drop in the estimated financial revenues for the oil and gas producing and exporting countries, of which Qatar is one. The movement of investments was shaken. It was to a great extent impossible to arrive at accurate estimations of the volume of expected incomes and revenues. Nonetheless we managed, with the help of God, to contain the impacts of that crisis and thanks to our close monitoring of international economic changes, we managed to determine the costs and burdens resulting from the expenditure and development plans and the upgrading and construction projects.

 Our country was able to overcome those difficult conditions in such way that won the admiration of the international financial institutions. The government concentrated its efforts, in this field, on intensification and activation of the measures of restriction of expenditure and rationalization of governmental expenditure, the privatization of several public projects and borrowing from world markets. This gave us an incentive to continue our firm course based on the principles of free economy, especially in the sphere of expanding the production base, diversification of the sources of income, enhancing private initiative, activation of the movement of investment and attraction of local and foreign capitals. This necessitated issuing several laws aimed at the encouragement and protection of investments as well as strengthening the private sector and ensuring its rights and interests. Above all that, we pursued with determination the implementation of our big and ambitious economic projects aimed at the realization of maximum benefit from the vital natural resources bestowed upon us by God, specially in the gas and oil sector, whether in the sphere of promoting and strengthening our production and exporting capabilities or in the area of expanding the base of industries relating to this sector or branching from it, in addition to activating the industrial base of our country in other vital sectors such as steel, cement, fertilizers and organic and petro-chemical industries. Lately, with the help of God, a number of projects were inaugurated, which are now carrying out their production and exporting activities. In addition, work is going on in the implementation of other large projects which will be completed and soon start their operation.

 Now that the world economic situation has changed for the better, it has become possible to say that a great deal of stability and trust is back to prevail over the international economic conditions and, in turn, positively reflected on the prices of oil and gas, which have regained their former levels, due to the success of the producing and exporting countries to agree on reduction of production and commitment to the quota system. We and our partners in OPEC organization will maintain them and keep them stable to the benefit, in our view, of both producers and consumers through the protection of this one international economic cycle that has come to bind the international community in a comprehensive way.

 As for us in Qatar, I can say with all pride that, despite all the difficulties that I have referred to, we have managed to realize economic growth rates that are still considered to be among the highest of their kind in the region and the world. We are also presently working on the increase of the gross national produce, estimated at 35 billion Riyals annually, and on controlling the rate of inflation so as not to exceed 3% per annum.

 Yet all this, Brothers, does not, despite its importance, satisfy our ambitions; nor do we consider it enough to meet our hopes and expectations. We believe that we must still do a great deal, exert further efforts, and put together all the resources, energies and serious, untiring work so as to be able to realize the flourishing and prosperity, and a better future for which we aspire for our country and people and the growing and future generations. This is our duty, and it is our obligation and our pledge before God and the homeland.

 Brothers,

 While working with all intent to realize these ambitious plans and reforms to strengthen our internal situation, develop our economy and advance our society, we do that out of our strong belief in the importance of the future and the necessity to be fully prepared for it which requires the activation of the role of our country and its location so as to continue being an active and effective member in our Arab and Muslim community as well as in the international community at large, interacting in the context of adherence to the independence of our national decision and on commitment to the shared interests on the basis of the principles of justice, equality, cooperation, friendship and reciprocal respect.

 That is why we in Qatar adhere to a clear and steady course in our foreign policy. While maintaining respect for our political independence, our national sovereignty and vital interests, we always seek to strengthen our relations with all countries that agree with us on these principles and share with us these fundamentals which represent the priorities of our foreign policy and the bases of our relations with brothers, neighbours and friends.

 Hence, we stress our firm belief in the reality of our Gulf, Arab and Islamic belonging, and regard strengthening the organic belonging to the Cooperation Council for the Gulf Arab Countries (GCC), deepening the ties of fraternity and integration with our brothers in those countries, and keenness on the realization of the objectives of its march, at the top of these priorities and basics.

 We have always been among those deeply concerned with activating the role of the Council and the work of its organs and institutions in the different fields. We are, therefore, looking forward to the coming GCC summit meeting in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and hope with confidence that its deliberations will be successful and distinctive, and that we come up with concrete decisions and results that ensure the realization of further cooperation that will positively reflect on our countries and peoples and the firm historical ties and relations that bind us. We are also confident that the sponsorship of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, and his Heir Apparent, as well as their wisdom and awareness, will undoubtedly contribute to the success of this summit meeting as to promote our interests and common goals, and satisfy the ambitions and hopes of the Gulf citizen as well as his future expectations for integration and development.

 Out of our deep concern to consolidate stability and security in our Gulf region, and to maintain the historical relations of friendship and cooperation that bind its peoples, we repeat our standing call for the settlement of all conflicts between the countries of this area, whatever their nature may be, through dialogue and adherence to the logic of reason and political and peaceful means, including restoring to arbitration or international justice should that be necessary. This will sustain trust, reciprocal respect and good neighbourliness in this vital region of the world. That is why we express our support for the efforts of the tri-partite committee commissioned to prepare the atmosphere for entering into direct negotiations between the brothers in the United Arab Emirates and the Islamic Republic of Iran on the dispute over the three islands, which will maintain security and stability in our region and reinforce the relations of trust and cooperation between its countries and peoples.

 Because we are convinced that the goal of establishing peace, maintaining security and stability and achieving prosperity and welfare cannot be realized except through consolidation of the principles of justice and law and international legality, we have always viewed with deep concern the political crises and military conflicts and the human tragedies resulting from them. We repeat our call for the necessity of finding peaceful and just settlements for them so as to avert the possibilities of their escalation.

 Of course, the best example for that in our Gulf region is the continuing Iraqi crisis, which constitutes a source of tension and straining. The continuation of the harsh suffering and inhuman circumstances which the brotherly people of Iraq go through as a result of the sanctions imposed upon them, fills us with deep grief and sorrow for this unnatural situation, and drives us to make every possible effort to put an end to this crisis from which, in our view, it is high time to come out and find the appropriate solutions for it. While fully stressing on the necessity of implementation of all international resolutions and respect for their legality, we support resorting to political solutions for this crisis in accordance with these resolutions in such way as to ensure preserving the unity of Iraq, its entity, territory and people, and spare it, as well as the whole region, any further risks and pains.

 From this same standpoint, we, in Qatar, view the central problem which has been in our opinion the main source of tension and straining in our Arab region for more than half a century, namely the Palestinian problem and the Arab-Israeli conflict. While always stressing that peace in the Middle East is an indispensable and firm strategic option to us as well as to our Arab brothers, we equally stress that peace has its indispensable requirements. The peace process has, unfortunately, not yet arrived at the expected results, but rather suffered in the last years sever setbacks for which, in our view, the former Israeli government is responsible. Hence we welcome the attitudes of the new Israeli government as seen in its resolve to pursue efforts towards peace with a greater measure of seriousness. However, we think that such gestures, to be meaningful and effective, must be coupled with tangible concrete steps that prove good will of the Israeli side and its sincere readiness to carry out its obligations and commitments and implement the accords arrived at during the stages of previous negotiations. Peace cannot be achieved unless it is based on the principles of international legitimacy and its explicit, clear and binding resolutions. There can be no real, just and permanent peace without the Palestinian people gaining their legitimate national and political rights, including establishing their independent state on their national soil, with Holy Jerusalem as its capital, nor without the complete Israeli withdrawal from the Syrian Golan heights, and from Southern Lebanon and its Western Bequa Valley, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy, the Madrid Conference and the principle of land for peace.

 Brothers,

 Our Arab nation today is regrettably undergoing a difficult time in which it is confronted with critical challenges. Instead of division, dispersion and dissipation of resources and energies, we should concentrate our efforts in order to achieve solidarity and unison to be able to face this period and its hardships and to reach a drafting of the foundations and basis needed for the drawing of a unified and comprehensive Arab strategy relying on the pillars of common interests and goals set and required for the task of confronting these common challenges.

 This noble endeavour could only be achieved through persistent and candid efforts to be exerted by all of us on the basis of the essential and indispensable openness and frankness. Therefore, we repeat our call for the convening of an extensive Arab summit to restore solidarity of Arab ranks, address crises and troubles facing us and to work down the prerequisites for a comprehensive and concerted Arab strategy by which we can defend the interests of this nation, and to prepare it to enter the new millennium with confidence and efficiency in order to meet the requirements of the future we look forward to.

 In our opinion, foremost among these requirements, which have become vital for the Arabs are: realizing development and progress for our societies, reviewing our economic situation and means of promoting it, developing the education plans for our future generations, consolidating the role of constitutional institutions through which constructive and responsible popular participation is carried out, so that this participation could become a basis for decision making and overseeing its proper implementation. In this way we can realize our aspirations for economic and social development in our countries and prosperity and welfare for our peoples.

 On the Islamic arena, we would like to stress our support for the Islamic Conference Organization as we continually demand that it should be activated and that work should be carried out through it with the objective of contributing to the promotion of cooperation march among Islamic countries, and the realization of the common good for its peoples.

 We look forward with much confidence and hope to the ninth Islamic Summit, which we have the honour to host in Qatar – God Willing – in the year 2000. We hope that this summit will come out with positive and effective resolutions that will give a push to the Islamic common action and to stimulate the nation’s capacities to fully shoulder its role on the international arena.

 We also reaffirm our commitment to the sublime objectives set in the United Nations Charter and to the significance we attach to the need to bolster the role of this extensive international organization, stepping up the effectiveness of its bodies and organs to be able to carry out its essential task of keeping peace and safeguarding security and stability of the world, since this venerable organization is the suitable and qualified frame which enables us to confront challenges, promote cooperation and cultural and educational interaction among the nations and peoples of the world as well as the realization of economic and social development and defending human rights.

 Dear Brothers;

 As we open the last session of your esteemed Council in this century, we have to be well equipped with credence, will and determination as we are approaching a world in which it is neither acceptable nor feasible for us to retreat or to be isolated from. Even if we wanted to do so, this will prove impossible in the era of globalization, information, communications, interaction and interlock among nations, peoples and civilizations. A world like this requires us to be qualified and equipped with knowledge, and science, to be armed with self confidence, to take pride in our culture and heritage, to stick to our glorious values, ideals and characteristics and above all our belief in the Almighty God, the guidance of His Holy Book and the Sayings and Doings of His Great Prophet, peace be upon him.

 Let us be resolved and look forward to the future with trust and boldness in order to be among the active and the influential and to provide our coming generations with the best opportunities to meet their future and overcome its challenges. Let us exert all efforts and exploit all resources and energies for the building of our dear homeland, and securing the requirements for its development, prosperity and welfare.

 These hopes and ambitions are not just slogans to be raised but they represent our most sacred duties and they are not overplays in view of what we hold for our people whom we believe have the full right in a happy present and a bright future.

 We beseech God to guide our steps to the good of our country and the prosperity of our people.

 Thank you.