 H.H
Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar
conferred at the white
house earlier Thursday
morning with U.S Vice President Dick Cheney.
They reviewed relations between the two
countries and means of
bolstering and promoting them. a host of
regional and international
issues of mutual concern were also taken up.
The meeting was attended H.E Sheikh Hamad bin
Jassem bin
Jabor Al Thani, First Deputy Premier and Foreign
Minister and
H.E Badr Omar El-Dafa, Qatar's ambassador
accredited to the United States .
H.H the Emir met also at the American Congress
Senator Bill Frist, Chairperson of the majority
in the Senate and Senator Tom Dashle,
Chairperson of the minority in the senate.
H.H The Emir met Senator Josef Lieberman,
chairperson of government affairs in the senate.
H.H The Emir reviewed with American officials
bilateral relations and a host of issues of
common concern.
The two meetings were attended by
H.E Sheikh Hamad bin
Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, First Deputy Premier
and Foreign Minister, Emir's Private
Secretary H.E Sheikh Abdurrahman bin Saoud Al
Thani and H.E Badr
Omar El-Dafa, Qatar's ambassador accredited to
the United States.
Earlier, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa
Al Thani Emir of the State of Qatar and his
Consort H.H Sheikha Mouza bint Nasser Al-Misnad
visited on Tuesday 28 September 2004 James
Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice
University in Houston town. "Reforms are
not mere plans or programs, but a vital culture
and way of thinking that need to be deepened and
planted", H.H said in an address during the
visit.
H.H the Emir praised the period during which
James Baker held the post of
US
Secretary of State, noting that it was period
during which international relations witnessed
very important developments when the cold war
was fading down and the world was proceeding
towards future.
H.H the Emir cautioned that many of the
principles approved by the international community 60 years ago,
including the UN
charter were in need to be constantly reiterated
so that might
would not rule over power reason or
unilateralism reigns over
cooperation.
H.H the Emir noted that the integration the
world is witnessing shouldn't mean that
sovereignty of nations be violated.
 H.H
the Emir attributed wasting of opportunities for
establishing just peace in the
Middle East
for the lingering tensions the region witnessed,
noting that this region was rich in resources
and cultures but despite that remained incapable
of exploiting its vast potentials for the sake
of development and living in stability among
nations.
H.H the
Emir said the
Middle East
region kept living in turmoil since its
independence, when its peoples found that many
spots in the world around them were enjoying
freedom and democracy and building economic
development while this region kept under
authoritative governments that spoilt its
legitimate right in reaping the fruits of
independence.
"Thirst for democracy in our region is what
makes the majority of its peoples view with much
appreciation the American experience", H.H the
Emir said.
"Arabs do not hate the United States for its
democracy as some
false claims told neither did they bear malice
for it for its liberties", H.H the Emir said,
noting that the region's people understood
through their human sense that the world order
hadn't been apart from the economic backwardness
and political authoritativeness they suffered as
that order dealt with regimes unaccepted by
their peoples.
"We in Qatar and before 11th of
September, had comprehended that the Middle
East, as it advents, after end of the cold war ,
a new world, had to speak a language that
matched the legitimate human dreams for freedom,
participation and the full right for enjoying an
honorable life", H.H the Emir was quoted as
saying.
"We also comprehended that reform is not just a
plan made
public or a programme that is drafted, but a
living culture and a
way of thinking that needs deepening. and all
that pushes us
ahead to embark on greatly upgrading our
educational institutions
through seeking help of many advanced
international experiences,
particularly American ones", H.H the Emir said.
Welcoming H.H the Emir and his wife, James
Baker, honorary president of the institute said
the State of Qatar, might be small in size and
population, but it looms large in both
international energy markets and the search for
peace and stability in the Gulf.
Already one of the world's largest exporters of
natural gas,
Qatar
stands poised to assume an even greater role as
it increases
production, expands its liquefied natural gas
facilities, and embarks on an ambitious plan to
exploit breakthroughs in gas-to-liquids
technology, he said.
Working closely with international energy firms,
including American companies,
Qatar
will play a critical role in assuring that the
world's growing demand for energy will be met by
ample supplies at a reasonable price. The
benefits will be huge not just for the citizens
of
Qatar
but also for the global economy, Baker noted.
"The Emir is much more than a leader of a
country rich in natural resources. He is also a
powerful voice for reform and stability in the
Gulf and the
Middle East.
At large", Baker added.
"Since succeeding to power, the Emir has
steered
Qatar
on a course towards more openness at home and
greater engagement abroad", baker further went
on saying.
Working with her highness Sheikha Mouza, H.H the
Emir has
put education at the very top of Qatar's
national agenda, launching a number of
path-breaking initiatives such as the Qatar
Foundation and Qatar's Education City, Baker
said, noting that H.H the Emir's presence with
her highness Sheikha Mouza is therefore
obviously a great honor for the Baker institute,
for Rice University and for the city of Houston,
Baker concluded.
Emir: Qatar
attractive to foreign investment
 H.H Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of
Qatar
and his Consort H.H Sheikha Mouza bint Nasser
Al-Misnad attended a dinner banquet hosted by a
group of
US
oil companies in Huston on
Monday 27 September 2004.
In an address to the banquet, H.H the Emir said
the State of Qatar has managed to become an
attraction to foreign investments, citing the
selected elite of world-class corporations which
have been attracted to the state of
Qatar
as key partners in its gigantic oil, gas and
petrochemical ventures.
 H.H the Emir asserted that relations between the
state of
Qatar
and the
United States of America
were very strong and attributed these close
US-Qatari relations to the joint commitment
shared by both countries towards peace, welfare
and stability in the middle east and the world
at large.
"Partnership between the two countries has all
the requirements
of success, because it hinges on a broad base of
mutual interests", H.H said.
In 2003 alone, the State of Qatar signed
preliminary agreements with foreign companies to
launch mammoth ventures with total investments
going as high as over US dollars 40 billion, H.H
the Emir said.
US companies have had the largest share of the
stakes set for foreign partners, H.H stated,
noting that representatives of some of
these companies were present at the banquet.
These agreements, covering liquefied natural gas
(LNG), gas-to-liquids (GTL) and petrochemical
sectors, would enable Qatar to supply the US
market with about 23 million tons of LNG in the
next few years and make the state of Qatar a
strategic ally of the United States that would
greatly contribute to meeting its growing demand
for sources of energy, H.H the emir was quoted
as saying.
"The implementation of these ventures would turn
the state of
Qatar
into a major hub for the world's GTL industry,
through which we would be able to co-supply the
world with another source of clean energy", H.H
stressed.
 H.H the Emir attributed the confidence placed in
the state of Qatar by world-class, especially US
corporations to the multiple factors of strength
enjoyed by the Qatari economy, the sound
financial and economic policies pursued by the
state, the manner of treatment based on
transparency, objectivity and credibility
foreign investors
receive in the state of Qatar, as well as the
political stability enjoyed by the country.
"Keen enough to maintain all elements of
strength (in our national economy), we would
earnestly endeavor to improve the investment
climate yet further by the constant build up of
infrastructures, the setting up of industrial
zones and the development of
investment-conducive legislations", H.H the Emir
said.
Concluding his address, H.H the Emir of Qatar
expressed hope
that cooperation between the state of
Qatar
and the
United States
would be further developed to attain yet greater
and better results that would be added to the
considerable accomplishments already attained.
In his address to the banquet, Secretary of the
State of
Texas Geoffrey Connor
laid emphasis on the strong relations between
the state of
Qatar
and the state of
Texas,
expressed appreciation for the mutual
cooperation between the two sides in the energy
sector.
"There are mutual interests bringing the two
sides together", he said, citing the existing
cooperation between Qatar Foundation for
Education, Science and Social Development on the
one hand and Texas University A&M, a branch of
which was inaugurated in the state of
Qatar.
He expressed hope that bilateral cooperation
would be further developed, especially in
economic and trading domains.
The role played by the state of Qatar and the
flourishing renaissance it has attained on more
than one aspect of life have also drawn the
praise of several US oil company directors, who
addressed the banquet and lauded the remarkable
US-Qatari relations on various levels.
The state of
Qatar
is a pioneer country in the spheres of
energy and economy, especially in terms of
natural gas and
the investments used for the development of
state sectors,
they said.
The state of
Qatar
is a good example to be followed, they said, hailing the visionary leadership of H.H
the Emir and H.H Sheikha Mouza bint Nasser Al-Misnad
in putting the country on the right track of
development.
They also expressed hope that bilateral
relations and cooperation between the two sides
would be maintained.
Worth to mention in this respect that the US
corporations which hosted the banquet are
Exxon-Mobil, Chevron-Texaco, Conoco-Phillips,
Occidental, Global Shell Gas co., Anadarko,
Chevron-Philips Chemicals, Marathon, and the
bilateral Arab-American Chamber of Commerce.
On Tuesday 28 September 2004 H.H Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of
Qatar
received at his residence in
Huston the Congresswoman Ms. Sheila Jackson Lee.
Bilateral Relations as well as ways of boosting
them were at the heart of discussions between H.H the Emir and the
US official.
The meeting was attended by Qatar's First Deputy
Premier and Foreign Minister H.E Sheikh Hamad
bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, H.H the Emir's
Private Secretary H.E Abdurrahman bin Saoud Al
Thani.
Emir & consort attend dinner banquet in
California
 Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger and
his wife hosted on Sunday evening 26 September
2004 a dinner banquet in honor of H.H Sheikh
Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of Qatar and his
wife H.H Sheikha Mouzah bint Nasser Al-Misnad.
H.H the Emir and his consort are currently
visiting the USA.
The banquet was attended by H.E the First Deputy
Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin
Jassem bin Jabor al Thani.
Earlier, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa
Al Thani Emir of the State of
Qatar
stressed
Qatar's
seriousness in adopting modernity and democracy,
announcing that
Doha
will host the conference of the group of
developing democracies after two years.
H.H. the Emir said that despite
Qatar
has fewer population, but it has a huge economic
resources, besides a unique and strategic
location. This came in the speech HH. The Emir
delivered on Thursday September
23, 2004
at
Los Angeles
Council Forum (Town Hall), during a lunch
banquet hosted by Donald E. Felsinger, President
and Chief Operating officer at Sempra Energy,
which patronized the forum, in the honor of H.H.
the Emir and H.H. Sheikha Mouza Bint Nasser Al
Misnad the consort of H.H. the Emir.
H.H the Emir also stressed
Qatar's
permanent concern on utilizing its resources for
well preparing citizens in education, health and
culture domains.
"We fully believe that a competent citizen is
capable of dealing with the challenges of the
new era as well as to be well prepared to
participate in his country's affairs, better
than thousands of incompetent citizens in other
populated countries denied from their rights of
participation", H.H. the Emir said, indicating
that a large sector of Qatari citizens has
become well qualified to participate in leading
modern and fast growing economy.
H.H. the Emir referred, in this context, to the
increase of Qatar GDP during the last five years
by 12 per cent each year, while the income per
capita increased 7 per cent annually, as Qatar
managed to double its investments after signing
initial agreements with foreign companies in
2003 to establish gigantic projects with more
than 40 billion dollars investment. H.H the Emir
added that the investments include forthcoming
projects to supply the American market with 23
million tons of liquefied gas, a big share of
this market needs for gas, which highlight Qatar
importance as strategic ally for Unites States.
H.H. the Emir expressed hope that the near
future will witness the consolidation of the
ties between
Qatar
and
United
State
in all domains.
Los Angeles
council forum established in 1937 as a part of
American project aimed to give the citizens the
opportunity to practice their constitutional
right of expressing by active participating in
policy and decision making process.
H.H the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani
and his consort H.H. Sheikha Mouza Bint Nasser
Al Misnad also paid a visit to U.S Los Angeles
Times newspaper premises on Thursday morning
September 23, 2004.
During the visit, H.H the Emir and H.H his
consort met with senior editors of the newspaper
and exchanged with them views on the latest
international developments.
 H.H the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani
and his consort H.H. Sheikha Mouza Bint Nasser
Al Misnad attended a dinned banquet hosted in
their honor by Mr. Ronald W. Burkle, the
Managing General Partner and Founder of The
Yucaipa Companies, in his house on Thursday
evening
September 23, 2004.
In a brief address at the banquet, H.H. the Emir
referred to the strong relations exciting
between State of Qatar and United States, which
are based on bases of reciprocity of relations
and joint values based on respect of all noble
human values.
H.H. the Emir stressed on determination to act
with spirit of partnership and mutual confidence
to further enhance these relations and voiced
pleasure to continue contacts with an elite of
ladies and gentle men of the
U.S.
community in
Hollywood,
noting that a lot of politicians are following
them up with admiration.
Emir in US: We look
forward to hit US $ 60 b investment
 His
Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir
of
Qatar
and his Consort H.H Sheikha Mouzah bint Nasser
A-Misnad attended a dinner banquet Chairman of
the
US
Foreign Relations Council Richard Haas has held
in their honor and in honor of the official
accompanying delegation at the FRC seat in
New York.
In an address he made at the outset of the
banquet, H.H the Emir asserted that development
and economic growth are increasingly becoming
the most major concern of world states,
international organizations, governmental and
non-governmental organizations as well as
individuals world-wide.
"We, in the State of Qatar, accord utmost care
to economic development, as a top priority and a
key instrument to fulfill the cherished
aspirations in building up of both the nation
and the nationals, in improving the living
standards of the people and in preserving our
natural resources", H.H the Emir said, noting
that the state of Qatar takes every necessary
effort to pursue a wide-encompassing policy of
development that would cover all economic,
social and political aspects in an integrated
and balanced manner.
H.H The Emir re-affirmed that the State of
Qatar, in its bid to attain economic
development, continues to uphold the noble
values of good-doing, justice, and peace and
continues to maintain a constructive exchange of
experience with other countries and societies in
this fast-changing world being quickly
transformed into a global village.
Industrial and economic growth rate in the State
of Qatar has scored some tangible positive
results as it moves steadily and swiftly towards
the diversification of sources of income until a
strong and balanced economy based on a sound
reliance on main revenues is finally
established, H.H stated , stressing that
investments in present and future ventures is
expected to go as high as over us dollars 60
billion.
H.H the Emir expected the country's output of
natural gas in 2010 to grow to over 70 million
tons, with 23 million tons of which dedicated to
the
US
market.
 In
another address during a lunch banquet held by a
group of banking sector officials and
businessmen in New York, H.H the Emir extended
his thanks to all those who took part in the
development in Qatar in different fields, while
expressing his hopes to further widen the scopes
of this cooperation between the United States
and the state of Qatar to fulfill the cherished
aspirations of the two peoples of the two
countries.
H.H the Emir further said that development in
the State of Qatar is growing ever faster to
achieve the sought economic boom in which
businessmen and bankers have played a
significant role.
"With such a course, in which a tuned and
harmonized multi-faceted development is
approached and a promising and conducive
investment climate is being created to be
friendly and attractive to everyone, we believe
that we would be able to serve our mutual
interests, which would strengthen the existing
ties between our two peoples and countries to
further step up our common cooperation and
further enhance our share of contribution to
economic development in the state of Qatar,
which has one of the world's fastest-growing
economies", H.H the Emir added.
 His
Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani
conferred on
Monday 20 September 2004 at
the United Nations headquarters with UN
Secretary General Kofi Annan on sidelines of a
visit of several days to the
United States..
During the meeting, they discussed international
issues of mutual interest, especially Arab world
issues and the role of UN in dealing with these
issues.
H.H the Emir has also held a number of meetings
with heads of delegations taking part in the
59th meeting of the UN General Assembly.
H.H the Emir met the president of the
republic of
Cyprus Tassos Papadopoulos
and the president of El Salvador Elias Antonio
Saca and discussed with them relations between
Qatar and each
of Cyprus
and el Salvador
and means of promoting them were discussed
during the meetings.
The two meetings were attended by the First
Deputy
Premier and Foreign Minister H.E Sheikh Hamad
bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani as well as a
number of members of the official
delegation accompanying H.H the Emir.
Earlier Sunday night His Highness Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of the State of Qatar
arrived in
New York
Sunday on a visit of several days to the
United
States.
On the occasion of H.H the Emir's visit to
New York city,
the empire state building management hoisted the
national flag of the state of
Qatar
at the sixth floor of the building.
Decorative white and maroon lighting featuring
the two colors of the Qatari national flag
illuminated the tower from sunset till
midnight
as a gesture of welcome of this visit.
The empire state is one of the world s most
famous sky scrappers and a landmark of
New York city.
The construction of the 381-meter-high building
took 410 days and was completed in 1931.
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Emir calls for sustainable reforms in
address at UN |
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His Highness Sheikh Hamad
bin Khalifa Al Thani Emir of the State
of Qatar stated that the Group of 77 + China chaired currently by Qatar reflect members' adherence to the mission of
the United Nations and its pact. This
came out in a speech H.H delivered
before the 59th session of the UN
General Assembly in New York on behalf
of the group on Tuesday 21 September
2004.
"The ministerial
gathering of the G77 + China is a clear
evidence of the solid relationship
between these countries and the
international organization and this was
embodied in the actions that followed
the first meeting of heads of states in
2000…these leaders showed clearly that
they wanted to push forward
collaboration between them, seeking
inspiration from the system of the
United Nations", H.H the Emir was quoted
as saying.
"The main challenge faced
by the international community at the
time being as seen by the G77 + China is
ways of preserving peace and security
worldwide and achievement of economic
welfare and development", H.H the Emir
of Qatar said, adding that this was
evidenced by international relations
during half of the last century.
H.H the Emir urged the
present to find out ways to deal with
impediments hindering poor countries
from taking full advantage of global
fruits of development through
eradicating poverty and involvement of
poor countries in the international
economy as mentioned by the millennium
declaration.
Accordingly, H.H the Emir
tackled a number of political issues
affecting the peoples of these countries
and their endeavors to development a and
full benefit from global economy. In
this respect, H.H said that the reason
behind that was lack of democracy and
delays in political reforms in a number
of southern countries and the
repercussions of such drives on these
countries.
Political reforms
and popular participation in decision
making are no longer among the options
to select from, H.H the Emir pointed
out. Yet, they constitute an immediate
necessity to achieve what H.H termed as
sustainable reforms, making reference to
sustainable development.
On the line with this and on
international issues, H.H the Emir said
that the question of Palestine is one of
the issues depicting how these people
are suffering in terms of their
political and economic rights and at the
same time are trying to improve the
situation though Israeli occupation will
remain a heavy burden on the dreams of
these people.
Moreover, H.H urged the international
community to review its stances
regarding these people and stand by them
in the face of Israeli omnipotence and
adherence to international legitimacy to
allow Palestinians self determination
and build their independent state with
Al-Quds as a capital.
On Iraq, His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin
Khalifa Al Thani Emir of the State of
Qatar wished the UN Security Council's
decision (1546) would push the situation
towards stability and the execution of
the agenda set to holding democratic
elections as a first step towards
establishing a constitutional
government. H.H the Emir reiterated
willingness to back up all kinds of
efforts aimed at the rebuilding of Iraq
away from any kind of interference in
home affairs, while emphasizing on the
role of the United Nations therein.
On
Sudan's
front, H.H the Emir voiced satisfaction
regarding
Sudan's
willingness to work together with the
international community to solve the
problem in the region of
Darfur.
H.H has also welcomed the agreements
concluded to end the problem of southern
Sudan.
H.H the Emir said that though these
issues are regional and of political
nature, mainly in the Middle East, they
are in fact in the heart of the
objectives set by the G77 + China to
achieve the sought international
justice.
Earlier, H.H the
Emir of Qatar held several meetings with
heads of delegations including Djibouti
President
Ismail Omar Guelleh,
Paraguay's
President Nicanor Duarte Frutos and
President of Cape Verde Pedro Pires. H.H
the Emir reviewed with them relations
between Doha
and each of these countries and ways of
boosting them in various fields.
H.H the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al
Thani and H.H Consort Sheikha Mouzah
bint Nasser Al-Misand attended a dinner
banquet hosted by mayor of New York
Michael Bloomberg at his house Tuesday
night
21 September 2004.
At the start of the banquet H.H the Emir
delivered a short speech
in which he reiterated that the State of
Qatar and the United States
shared mutual commitment towards peace,
welfare and stability in the
world, noting that relations between two
countries were based on
mutual values and not only joint
concerns and interests.
"As we continue our endeavor for
maintaining consolidation of
the mutual values between our countries
and follow up consolidation of
mutual concerns in the investment,
education, technology and
trade domains, we earnestly hope that we
create a spirit of
understanding between the western world
and the Muslim world and
hope that relations between peoples
strengthen at various fields and
interaction between them continue at all
spheres", H.H the Emir
said.
H.H reiterated
Qatar's
support to New
York's bid to
host the Olympic games in 2012.
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