Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-11-15-Speech-3-093"
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We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilisation crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@en4
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"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@cs1
"I Guds navn, den barmhjertige, den medlidende, hr. formand, mine damer og herrer! Jeg vil gerne udtrykke min taknemmelighed over for Dem og for Deres venlige invitation til at holde tale til Deres Parlament, som repræsenterer 450 millioner europæere og er et af de mest vellykkede eksempler på regional integration i hele verden. Jeg vil også gerne takke Dem for Deres gæstfrihed og varme velkomst og de venlige følelser, De har vist mig.
Vi skal opfordre til respekt for religioner og hellige steder, så disse ikke bringes i fare. Det er lige så vigtigt at samarbejde i kampen mod de fordrejninger af opfattelser, som den ene part finder på om den anden, og som forårsages af uromagere, uvidenhed og ekstremister. Staten Qatar bruger til stadighed sine kræfter på dette formål og er vært for mange fora med det formål at fremme dialogen mellem civilisationerne, heriblandt det årlige forum for dialog mellem religioner.
Forholdene i Mellemøsten har altid været af stor betydning for Europa på grund af den geografiske nærhed mellem de to regioner og deres politiske, økonomiske og kulturelle sammenhæng, som i tidens løb aldrig er ophørt med at eksistere. Denne nærhed gør, at der ikke kan herske tvivl om Europas interesse i at støtte omfattende reformer i landene i Mellemøsten og tilskynde dem til at fortsætte disse reformer med seriøsitet, uden at kunne eller ville vende ryggen til demokratiet og uden at misbruge demokratibegrebet med tomme ord. Omfattende reformer og reelt demokrati er vejen frem til et bedre Mellemøsten, så dets lande kan opleve stabilitet, dets folk kan nyde frihed, dets institutioner blive stærkere, og dets stater kan gøre fremskridt på basis af respekt for loven. Et Mellemøsten, hvis folk har hele fundamentet og alle de videnskabelige og økonomiske midler, der skal til, for at de kan være på lige fod med deres naboer og resten af verden, og for at de kan være partnere med dem og ikke fremmedgjorte over for dem.
I denne henseende ved vi, og Europa ved det sandsynligvis endnu bedre, at immigration fra eller gennem Mellemøsten er blevet en uhyre stor udfordring. Selv om Europa i årevis har arbejdet meget hårdt for at klare denne udfordring, er man altid nødt til at gå tilbage til problemets rod og behandle dets årsager, ikke kun dets symptomer, for at opnå vellykkede løsninger. Når reformprocessen lykkes, og demokratikulturen stabiliseres i Mellemøsten, og når dets folkeslag er i stand til at bekæmpe alle former for korruption, vil mange af dem, der søgte et anstændigt liv uden for deres lande, derfor ikke længere emigrere, forudsat de kan få opfyldt deres forhåbninger i deres egne lande.
At styrke demokratiet og opnå fred i Mellemøsten er mål, der er lige vigtige. Mangel på demokrati og det faktum, at der ikke er fundet en retfærdig løsning på det palæstinensiske problem, har forårsaget forskellige former for vold, som nogle mennesker betragter som terrorisme, der skal bekæmpes med de strengeste midler, uden at skelne mellem formerne eller overveje, hvordan årsagerne til den kan fjernes. Vi tager afstand fra alle former for terrorisme og arbejder sammen med det internationale samfund for at bekæmpe den. Vi er imidlertid opsat på at skelne mellem uberettigede skræmmekampagner mod uskyldige mennesker, uanset årsag, hvilket er noget, man bør tage afstand fra, og så det, der i henhold til internationale love og sædvaner er folks lovlige ret til at modsætte sig besættelse.
Vi tror, at en retfærdig løsning på det palæstinensiske problem bør baseres på en gennemførelse af alle internationale resolutioner på både den israelske og den palæstinensiske side, med støtte fra det internationale samfund på begge sider. Dette vil undgå den kompleksitet, som forbindelserne mellem de to parter antog for nylig. Den palæstinensiske regering, der udgøres af Hamas-bevægelsen, i overensstemmelse med det palæstinensiske folks frie vilje i de seneste måneder, burde have fået mulighed for at arbejde for det folk, der valgte den.
I stedet for at belønne det palæstinensiske folk for at udøve demokrati - noget, der sjældent ses i vores region - er de blevet straffet for det. Jeg forstår ikke, hvordan der kan iværksættes en embargo mod en regering, der er demokratisk valg, og hvordan kollektive sanktioner kan iværksættes mod et helt folk, blot fordi det udøvede sin demokratiske ret til at vælge de mennesker, der vil regere det.
Er det ikke dobbeltmoralsk at forlange frie valg og så protestere mod resultaterne heraf?
En løsning på det palæstinensiske problem er forbundet med Israels vilje til at opfylde alle sine forpligtelse ved at gennemføre internationale resolutioner. Disse resolutioner foreskriver tilbagetrækning fra de besatte arabiske områder, oprettelse af en uafhængig palæstinensisk stat med den hellige by Jerusalem som dens hovedstad, øjeblikkeligt ophør af ødelæggelsen af palæstinensisk infrastruktur og drab og tortur på civile. På den konto har dusinvis af uskyldige palæstinensere i de besatte områder mistet livet, hvor massakren i Beit Hanoun er det sidste eksempel. Dette er vejen ud for det palæstinensiske problem fra det dødvande, det er havnet i, og vi mener, at det internationale samfund burde bruge mere omhu og flere kræfter på at finde en hurtig løsning på dette problem, for det vil være til gavn ikke kun for Mellemøsten, men for hele verden.
Der er behov for at finde en vidtfavnende ordning på den arabisk-israelske konflikt. Dette blev igen bekræftet af den destruktive krig, som Israel førte mod Libanon for nylig. Nu hvor kampene er standset, og nu hvor UNIFIL-styrkerne - hvori Qatar besluttede at deltage - har påbegyndt udførelsen af deres opgaver, håber vi, at Libanon vil være i stand til at udøve sin suverænitet på hele sit territorium, og at Israel vil respektere denne suverænitet.
Når man taler til Europa-Parlamentet, har man intet andet valg end at udtrykke stor beundring for det omhyggelige arbejde, der er udrettet på det europæiske kontinent igennem mange årtier. Igennem disse årtier har Deres lande, med fornuft og viljestyrke, været i stand til at glemme fortidens smertelige sider og åbne et nyt og lovende kapitel, som indeholder mange eksempler på succes. Den høje status, som Europa-Parlamentet nyder i dag internationalt set, er et inspirationens fyrtårn, som mange andre lande prøver at efterligne. I den arabiske verden har vi erfaring med Den Arabiske Liga, som giver os håb om, at vi kan udrette, hvad De har udrettet. Jeg vil gerne her understrege, at demokrati ikke blot er en nødvendighed for ethvert land i verden, det er en forudsætning for at opnå økonomisk integration på regionalt plan og for stabilitet i internationale relationer i en hvilken som helst region i verden, fordi det forhindrer det enkelte land i egenrådigt at tage beslutninger, som det er op til alle nationer i alle lande at tage.
Hvad angår Irak, håber vi, at landet vil overstå den krise, det befinder sig i nu, at det vil bevare sin suverænitet og sine områder som en enhed, og at det irakiske folk vil genfinde sikkerhed og frihed. Jeg har tiltro til, at EU, som er klar over de farer, den irakiske situation udgør for den regionale stabilitet i Mellemøsten, vil fordoble sine anstrengelser for at hjælpe Irak med at overvinde den farlige situation, landet befinder sig i nu.
Stabilitet i Mellemøsten kræver også, at Europa-Parlamentet fortsætter sine bestræbelser på at nå til en fredelig løsning på det iranske atomprogram, som vil bekræfte, at dets mål vil forblive udelukkende fredelige og under overvågning af Det Internationale Atomenergiagentur. Her vil vi gerne gentage vores opfordring til at gøre Mellemøsten til et atomvåbenfrit område og til at forpligte Israel til at underskrive ikkespredningsaftalen.
Før jeg slutter min tale, vil jeg gerne henvise til den styrke i samarbejdsforholdet, der eksisterer specifikt mellem EU og Staten Qatar og med Golfstaternes Samarbejdsråd generelt. Lige siden Staten Qatar underskrev samarbejdsaftalen mellem landene i Golfstaternes Samarbejdsråd og det daværende EØF i 1989, har landet udviklet sine forbindelser med EU på flere områder. Alene på energiområdet har Qatar underskrevet kontrakter med en række lande i EU, heriblandt Italien, Belgien, England og Spanien, for at dække disse landes behov for forsyninger med naturgas. Vi samarbejder også på andre områder som f.eks. kulturelle, politiske og økonomiske områder. Qatar og EU vil således være i stand til yderligere at styrke deres bånd.
Jeg vil gerne takke Dem igen. Må Guds fred og nåde være med Dem.
Som De ved, har Staten Qatar valgt demokratiet som et middel til at beskytte menneskerettighederne og opnå medbestemmelse for folket. Vores valg af demokratiet er i overensstemmelse med vores forpligtelse til at praktisere al shoura-princippet, som er en af islams basale love, en lov, der ikke kan ignoreres, og som blev indført for at udbygge folkets medbestemmelse. Derfor skal demokratiet ikke begrænses til de få, men omfatte alle mennesker. Dette princip kan ikke anvendes selektivt. Det er en fundamental rettighed, som ikke kan ignoreres eller krænkes. Af og til viser virkeligheden i vores region en praksis, der er forskellig fra islams principper. Det skyldes ikke et problem med princippet som sådant, men at det misfortolkes og ikke praktiseres omhyggeligt.
Islam tilskynder ikke kun sit folk til at deltage i det offentlige liv. Den tilskynder dem også til at respektere minoriteter og beskytte deres rettigheder. Den tilskynder folk til at lære mere om andres kulturer, at indgå i samspil med andre i forhold, der bygger på gensidighed. Det har glædet mig meget, at mange af mine europæiske venner ved dette om islam og ved en masse om deres naboers historie. Det viser, at de har et ønske om at gå ind i frugtbare forhold og i dialog med deres naboer.
Jeg vil gerne nævne, at araberne var den bro, over hvilken den græske civilisation kom til Europa, ved hjælp af oversættelse af græske værker til arabisk. Mange berømte græske filosoffer og tænkere blev på den måde overført til de europæiske intellektuelle, hvorved renæssancen blev sat i gang.
Mange mennesker kom i kontakt med islam og konverterede til denne religion med deres fulde overbevisning og accept gennem samspil med muslimer og kulturel kommunikation med dem. Islam spredtes gennem dialog og blomstrede ved overbevisning. Den blev aldrig pålagt nogen ved magt. Der er dem, der siger noget andet, men disse mennesker tager fejl, og de har gjort islam uret.
Det er nødvendigt her at understrege betydningen af dialog mellem tilhængerne af forskellige religioner og at gøre sig anstrengelser for at opnå sammenhæng mellem disse religioner, så kunstige og nytteløse konflikter kan undgås. Desværre er der enkeltpersoner og grupper i både øst og vest, der har opfordret til en sådan konflikt. Disse mennesker er uvidende og er blevet fjender af dem, der adskiller sig fra dem i race eller farve. De har ikke i verdens mangfoldighed set en kilde til rigdom, og de har ikke agtet på kravet om tilnærmelse og dialog her i verden.
Jeg vil benytte denne lejlighed til at opfordre alle fornuftige, kloge og ærlige mennesker i både øst og vest til at stå sammen og standse de råb om deling og intolerance, som truer freden og respekten for religioner og hellige steder."@da2
". – Im Namen des gnädigen und barmherzigen Gottes, Herr Präsident, meine Damen und Herren! Ich möchte Ihnen für Ihre freundliche Einladung danken, vor Ihrem Parlament zu sprechen, das 450 Millionen Europäer vertritt und weltweit zu den erfolgreichsten Beispielen einer regionalen Integration gehört. Ich möchte Ihnen auch für Ihre Gastfreundschaft, das herzliche Willkommen und Ihre Freundlichkeit danken, die Sie mir erwiesen haben.
Wir müssen Respekt für Religionen und heilige Stätten fordern, um sie nicht zu gefährden. Ebenso wichtig ist es, dass wir gemeinsam gegen die von Unruhestiftern, von Ignoranten und von Extremisten verursachte Verzerrung der Wahrnehmung ankämpfen, die eine Seite von der anderen hat. Der Staat Katar unternimmt kontinuierliche Anstrengungen zu diesem Zweck und hält zahlreiche Foren ab, deren Ziel es ist, den Dialog zwischen den Zivilisationen zu fördern, darunter auch das jährliche Forum für interreligiösen Dialog.
Die Entwicklung im Nahen Osten war wegen der räumlichen Nähe der beiden Regionen und ihrer politischen, wirtschaftlichen und kulturellen Beziehungen, die die Geschichte überdauert haben, schon immer von wesentlicher Bedeutung für Europa. Aufgrund dieser Nähe ist es zweifellos im Interesse Europas, umfassende Reformen in den Ländern des Nahen Ostens zu fördern und diese Länder zu ermutigen, die Reformen entschlossen voranzutreiben und sich nicht von der Demokratie abzuwenden, den Begriff „Demokratie“ aber auch nicht mit leeren Worten zu missbrauchen. Umfassende Reformen und echte Demokratie sind der Weg zu einem besseren Nahen Osten, damit seine Länder Stabilität erfahren können, seine Bevölkerung Freiheit erleben kann, seine Institutionen stärker werden und seine Staaten sich auf dem Fundament der Rechtsstaatlichkeit weiterentwickeln können; einem Nahen Osten, dessen Bevölkerung über alle Grundlagen und wissenschaftlichen und wirtschaftlichen Mittel zum gleichberechtigten Umgang mit ihren Nachbarn und der übrigen Welt verfügt, um als Partner anerkannt und nicht ausgegrenzt zu werden.
In diesem Zusammenhang wissen wir, und Europa weiß das noch besser, dass die Einwanderung aus oder über den Nahen Osten zu einem großen Problem geworden ist. Obgleich Europa seit Jahren intensiv an einer Lösung dieses Problems arbeitet, müssen wirksame Lösungen doch immer an den Wurzeln des Problems ansetzen und die Ursachen, nicht nur die Symptome berücksichtigen. Wenn der Reformprozess erfolgreich ist und sich die demokratische Kultur im Nahen Osten stabilisieren kann, und wenn die Bevölkerung in der Lage ist, alle Formen der Korruption zu bekämpfen, werden daher viele, die heute ein menschenwürdiges Leben in der Fremde suchen, nicht mehr auswandern, sofern sie ihre Ziele in ihren Heimatländern verwirklichen können.
Die Festigung der Demokratie und der Frieden im Nahen Osten sind Ziele, die den gleichen Stellenwert haben. Ein Mangel an Demokratie und das Fehlen einer gerechten Lösung für das Palästinaproblem haben zahlreiche Formen der Gewalt hervorgerufen, die manche als Terrorismus betrachten, der mit den härtesten Mitteln bekämpft werden muss, ohne dass dabei zwischen den verschiedenen Formen differenziert oder nach Wegen gesucht wird, wie die Ursachen, die diese Gewalt nähren, beseitigt werden können. Wir verurteilen jegliche Form des Terrorismus und arbeiten bei der Terrorbekämpfung mit der internationalen Gemeinschaft zusammen. Es ist uns aber wichtig, zu unterscheiden zwischen der ungerechtfertigten Bedrohung unschuldiger Menschen, unter welchem Vorwand diese auch geschehen mag, die verurteilt werden sollte, und dem legitimen Recht eines Volkes, sich im Einklang mit dem Völkerrecht und internationalen Gepflogenheiten gegen eine Besatzung zu wehren.
Wir glauben, dass die Umsetzung aller internationalen Resolutionen, sowohl durch die israelische als auch die palästinensische Seite, die Grundlage für eine gerechte Lösung der Palästinafrage bilden sollte. Dabei sollten beide durch die Völkergemeinschaft unterstützt werden. Auf diese Weise könnten die Schwierigkeiten umgangen werden, die sich in den Beziehungen zwischen den beiden Seiten in letzter Zeit ergeben haben. Die palästinensische Regierung, die in den vergangenen Monaten nach dem freien Willen des palästinensischen Volkes von Vertretern der Hamas-Bewegung geführt worden ist, hätte die Möglichkeit erhalten sollen, für die Menschen zu arbeiten, die sie gewählt haben.
Statt das palästinensische Volk dafür zu belohnen, dass es Demokratie praktiziert – etwas, das wir in unserer Region nur selten erleben –, wurde es dafür bestraft. Ich kann nicht nachvollziehen, wie ein Embargo gegen eine demokratisch gewählte Regierung verhängt und ein ganzes Volk mit kollektiven Sanktionen belegt werden kann, nur weil es von seinem demokratischen Recht Gebrauch gemacht und die Personen gewählt hat, von denen es regiert werden möchte.
Ist es nicht Doppelmoral, freie Wahlen zu fordern und dann das Ergebnis dieser Wahlen abzulehnen?
Die Lösung der Palästinafrage ist verknüpft mit der Bereitschaft Israels, sämtlichen Verpflichtungen nachzukommen, indem es internationale Resolutionen umsetzt, in denen der Abzug aus den besetzten arabischen Gebieten, die Errichtung eines unabhängigen palästinensischen Staates mit der heiligen Stadt Jerusalem als Hauptstadt, die unverzügliche Einstellung der Zerstörung der palästinensischen Infrastruktur und der Ermordung und Folter von Zivilisten gefordert wird, durch die zahlreiche unschuldige Palästinenser in den besetzten Gebieten ihr Leben verloren haben, wie der jüngste Fall des Massakers von Beit Hanoun zeigt. Dies ist der Weg aus der Sackgasse, in die die Bemühungen um eine Lösung der Palästinafrage geraten sind, und wir sind der Meinung, dass die internationale Gemeinschaft mehr gezielte Anstrengungen unternehmen sollte, um eine rasche Lösung dieses Problems zu erreichen, weil dies nicht nur dem Nahen Osten, sondern der ganzen Welt zugute käme.
Es muss eine umfassende Lösung für den arabisch-israelischen Konflikt gefunden werden. Der jüngste zerstörerische Krieg Israels gegen den Libanon hat dies erneut deutlich gemacht. Jetzt, da die Kämpfe eingestellt worden sind und die UNIFIL-Truppen – an denen auch Katar beteiligt ist – ihre Arbeit aufgenommen haben, hoffen wir, dass der Libanon in der Lage sein wird, seine Souveränität in seinem gesamten Hoheitsgebiet auszuüben, und dass Israel diese Souveränität respektieren wird.
Wenn man vor dem Europäischen Parlament spricht, kommt man nicht umhin, ihm seine große Bewunderung für die aufopferungsvolle Arbeit auszusprechen, die es für den europäischen Kontinent seit vielen Jahrzehnten geleistet hat. Während dieser Jahrzehnte ist es Ihren Ländern mit Vernunft und Willensstärke gelungen, die schmerzlichen Geschehnisse der Vergangenheit hinter sich zu lassen und ein neues, viel versprechendes Kapitel aufzuschlagen, das zahlreiche Erfolgsbeispiele zu bieten hat. Das hohe internationale Ansehen, das das Europäische Parlament heute genießt, ist ein leuchtendes Beispiel, dem viele andere Länder nachzueifern versuchen. Wir in der arabischen Welt haben die Arabische Liga, die uns hoffen lässt, dass auch wir erreichen können, was Sie erreicht haben. Ich möchte an dieser Stelle hervorheben, dass die Demokratie nicht nur eine reine Notwendigkeit für jeden Staat der Welt ist, sondern die Voraussetzung für die wirtschaftliche Integration einer Region und für die Stabilität internationaler Beziehungen in allen Regionen der Welt, weil sie verhindert, dass ein Land willkürlich Entscheidungen trifft, die nur die Völker aller Länder gemeinsam treffen können.
Was den Irak angeht, hoffen wir, dass das Land seine derzeitige Krise überwinden kann, dass es seine Souveränität und die Einheit seines Hoheitsgebietes erhalten und die irakische Bevölkerung wieder in Sicherheit und Freiheit leben kann. Ich bin zuversichtlich, dass die Europäische Union, die sich der Gefahren bewusst ist, die die Situation im Irak für die regionale Stabilität im Nahen Osten birgt, ihre Anstrengungen verstärken wird, um den Irak bei der Bewältigung der gefährlichen Lage zu unterstützen, in der er sich gegenwärtig befindet.
Zur Sicherung der Stabilität im Nahen Osten gehört auch, dass das Europäische Parlament seine Bemühungen um eine friedliche Beilegung des Streits um das iranische Atomprogramm fortsetzt. Der Iran muss zusichern, dass er mit diesem Programm weiterhin ausschließlich friedliche Zwecke verfolgt und die Aufsicht der Internationalen Atomenergie-Organisation akzeptiert. An dieser Stelle möchten wir unseren Appell wiederholen, den Nahen Osten zu einer atomwaffenfreien Region zu machen und Israel zur Unterzeichnung des Vertrags über die Nichtverbreitung von Kernwaffen zu bewegen.
Bevor ich zum Ende komme, möchte ich die hervorragenden Beziehungen und die Zusammenarbeit erwähnen, die zwischen der Europäischen Union und dem Staat Katar im Besonderen und mit dem Kooperationsrat der Arabischen Golfstaaten im Allgemeinen bestehen. Der Staat Katar hat seine Beziehungen zur Europäischen Union in den unterschiedlichsten Bereichen ausgebaut, seit er 1989 das Kooperationsabkommen zwischen den Ländern des Kooperationsrates der Arabischen Golfstaaten und der damaligen EWG unterzeichnet hat. Allein im Energiesektor hat Katar Verträge mit mehreren Ländern der Europäischen Union, darunter Italien, Belgien, Großbritannien und Spanien, über Erdgaslieferungen geschlossen. Wir arbeiten aber auch in anderen Bereichen wie der Kultur, der Politik und der Wirtschaft zusammen. Katar und die Europäische Union haben deshalb gute Voraussetzungen, um ihre Beziehungen weiter zu stärken.
Ich möchte Ihnen nochmals danken, und mögen der Friede und die Gnade Gottes Sie begleiten.
Der Staat Katar hat sich, wie Sie wissen, für die Demokratie als Mittel zum Schutz der Menschenrechte und zur Einbeziehung der Bevölkerung entschieden. Unsere Entscheidung für die Demokratie steht im Einklang mit unserer Verpflichtung zur Anwendung des Prinzips der Al-Shoura, einer Grundregel des Islam, die nicht missachtet werden darf und die geschaffen wurde, um die Beteiligung der Bevölkerung am politischen Prozess zu stärken. Demokratie darf deshalb nicht auf einige wenige beschränkt werden, sondern sollte die gesamte Bevölkerung einschließen. Das Prinzip kann nicht selektiv angewandt werden. Es ist ein Grundrecht, das nicht ignoriert oder übertreten werden darf. Die Realität in unserer Region zeigt manchmal eine Praxis, die nicht den Grundsätzen des Islam entspricht. Das ist nicht auf ein Problem mit dem Prinzip an sich zurückzuführen, sondern auf eine falsche Auslegung und eine ungenaue Anwendung des Prinzips.
Der Islam fordert seine Anhänger nicht nur auf, sich am öffentlichen Leben zu beteiligen: Er verlangt von ihnen auch, Minderheiten zu respektieren und deren Rechte zu schützen. Er ermutigt die Menschen, etwas über die Kultur anderer zu lernen und mit ihnen in einer Beziehung des Gebens und Nehmens zu interagieren. Es hat mich sehr gefreut, dass viele meiner europäischen Freunde dies über den Islam wissen und die Geschichte ihrer Nachbarn sehr gut kennen. Dies zeigt, dass sie den Wunsch haben, fruchtbare Beziehungen und einen Dialog mit ihren Nachbarn zu pflegen.
Ich möchte an dieser Stelle erwähnen, dass die Araber die Brücke waren, über die die griechische Zivilisation nach Europa gelangte. Dies geschah durch die Übersetzung griechischer Werke ins Arabische. Viele berühmte griechische Philosophen und Denker wurden auf diese Weise Teil des europäischen Geisteslebens, und dies wurde schließlich zum Auslöser für die Renaissance.
Viele Menschen kamen in Kontakt mit dem Islam und traten aus tiefster Überzeugung und aus freien Stücken zu dieser Religion über, weil der Umgang mit Muslimen und die kulturelle Kommunikation mit ihnen diesen Wunsch geweckt hatten. Der Islam hat sich durch den Dialog verbreitet und eine hohe Blüte erreicht, weil er die Menschen überzeugte. Er wurde niemals mit Gewalt aufgezwungen. Manche behaupten etwas anderes, aber diese Menschen haben Unrecht und schaden dem Islam.
An dieser Stelle muss hervorgehoben werden, wie wichtig der Dialog zwischen den Anhängern verschiedener Religionen ist und dass Anstrengungen unternommen werden müssen, um den Dialog zwischen diesen Religionen fortzusetzen, um einen jeder echten Grundlage entbehrenden und nutzlosen Kampf zwischen den Religionen zu verhindern. Bedauerlicherweise gibt es sowohl im Osten als auch im Westen Personen und Gruppen, die zu einem solchen Kampf aufgerufen haben. Diese Menschen sind ignorant und zu Feinden derjenigen geworden, die sich in Rasse oder Hautfarbe von ihnen unterscheiden. Sie sehen nicht in der Vielfalt der Welt eine Quelle des Reichtums, und sie kommen der Aufforderung zur Annäherung und zum Dialog in dieser Welt nicht nach.
Ich möchte diese Gelegenheit nutzen und alle vernünftigen, klugen und ehrlichen Menschen in Ost und West dazu aufrufen, gemeinsam gegen diese Rufe nach Spaltung und Intoleranz aufzustehen, die eine Gefahr für den Frieden und den Respekt vor Religionen und heiligen Stätten sind."@de9
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Πρέπει να απευθύνουμε έκκληση για σεβασμό των θρησκειών και των ιερών τόπων, ώστε να μην τεθούν σε κίνδυνο. Είναι εξίσου σημαντικό να συνεργαστούμε προκειμένου να καταπολεμήσουμε τη διαστρέβλωση που προκαλούν οι ταραξίες, η άγνοια και οι εξτρεμιστές, στις αντιλήψεις που κατασκευάζει κάθε πλευρά σχετικά με την άλλη. Το κράτος του Κατάρ καταβάλλει συνεχώς προσπάθειες για τον σκοπό αυτό και φιλοξενεί πολλά φόρα με στόχο την ενθάρρυνση του διαλόγου μεταξύ των πολιτισμών· ένα από αυτά είναι το Ετήσιο Φόρουμ για τον Διάλογο μεταξύ των Θρησκειών.
Οι υποθέσεις της Μέσης Ανατολής είχαν ανέκαθεν μεγάλη σημασία για την Ευρώπη, εξαιτίας της γεωγραφικής εγγύτητας των δύο περιοχών και της πολιτικής, οικονομικής και πολιτιστικής τους συνέχειας, η οποία δεν έπαψε ποτέ να υπάρχει στη διάρκεια των χρόνων. Η εγγύτητα αυτή επιβεβαιώνει το αναμφισβήτητο συμφέρον της Ευρώπης να υποστηρίξει συνολικές μεταρρυθμίσεις στις χώρες της Μέσης Ανατολής και να τις ενθαρρύνει να συνεχίσουν αυτές τις μεταρρυθμίσεις με σοβαρότητα και χωρίς οπισθοδρομήσεις στο θέμα της δημοκρατίας, χωρίς κατάχρηση της έννοιας της δημοκρατίας με λόγια κενά περιεχομένου. Οι συνολικές μεταρρυθμίσεις και η αληθινή δημοκρατία είναι ο δρόμος για μια καλύτερη Μέση Ανατολή, προκειμένου οι χώρες της να μπορέσουν να βιώσουν τη σταθερότητα, οι λαοί τους να απολαύσουν την ελευθερία, οι θεσμοί τους να γίνουν ισχυρότεροι και τα κράτη της να μπορέσουν να προοδεύσουν βάσει του σεβασμού του νόμου· μια Μέση Ανατολή ο πληθυσμός της οποίας έχει όλα τα στοιχειώδη και τα επιστημονικά και οικονομικά μέσα για να αντιμετωπίσει τους γείτονες του και τον υπόλοιπο κόσμο ως ίσοι προς ίσους· να γίνει εταίρος τους και όχι να αποξενωθεί από αυτούς.
Από αυτήν την άποψη, γνωρίζουμε, και πιθανότατα η Ευρώπη γνωρίζει ακόμη καλύτερα, ότι η μετανάστευση από ή διαμέσου της Μέσης Ανατολής έχει γίνει μια τεράστια πρόκληση. Αν και η Ευρώπη εργάζεται πολύ σκληρά εδώ και χρόνια για να αντιμετωπίσει αυτήν την πρόκληση, οι επιτυχημένες λύσεις πρέπει πάντα να γυρίσουν στις ρίζες του προβλήματος και να αντιμετωπίσουν τα βαθύτερα αίτια, όχι μόνον τα συμπτώματα. Ως εκ τούτου, όταν η διαδικασία μεταρρύθμισης επιτύχει και ο πολιτισμός της δημοκρατίας σταθεροποιηθεί στη Μέση Ανατολή, και όταν οι λαοί της θα είναι σε θέση να καταπολεμήσουν όλες τις μορφές διαφθοράς, πολλοί από εκείνους που επιζητούν μια αξιοπρεπή ζωή μακριά από τις χώρες τους δεν θα μεταναστεύουν πλέον, εφόσον οι προσδοκίες τους θα μπορούν να ικανοποιηθούν στις χώρες τους.
Η εδραίωση της δημοκρατίας και η επίτευξη της ειρήνης στη Μέση Ανατολή είναι εξίσου σημαντικοί στόχοι. Η έλλειψη δημοκρατίας και η μη επίτευξη μιας δίκαιης λύσης για το παλαιστινιακό πρόβλημα έχουν γεννήσει διάφορες μορφές βίας, τις οποίες κάποιοι άνθρωποι θεωρούν τρομοκρατία που πρέπει να καταπολεμηθεί με τα σκληρότερα μέσα, χωρίς να προβαίνουν σε διαφοροποίηση μεταξύ των διαφόρων μορφών, ή να εξετάζουν τρόπους για την εξάλειψη των αιτιών που την τροφοδοτούν. Αποκηρύσσουμε όλες τις μορφές τρομοκρατίας και εργαζόμαστε μαζί με τη διεθνή κοινότητα για την καταπολέμησή της. Ωστόσο, θα θέλαμε να δούμε μια διαφοροποίηση μεταξύ του αδικαιολόγητου εκφοβισμού αθώων ανθρώπων με οποιοδήποτε πρόσχημα –που είναι κάτι που πρέπει να καταδικάσουμε– και του έννομου δικαιώματος των ανθρώπων να αντιστέκονται στην κατοχή σύμφωνα με τους διεθνείς νόμους και ήθη.
Πιστεύουμε ότι μια δίκαιη λύση στο παλαιστινιακό ζήτημα θα πρέπει να βασίζεται στην εφαρμογή όλων των διεθνών ψηφισμάτων τόσο από την ισραηλινή όσο και από την παλαιστινιακή πλευρά, με τη στήριξη της διεθνούς κοινότητας σε αμφότερες τις πλευρές. Αυτό θα συμβάλει στο να αποφευχθεί η πολυπλοκότητα που χαρακτηρίζει τελευταία τις σχέσεις μεταξύ των δύο πλευρών. Θα πρέπει να δοθεί στην παλαιστινιακή κυβέρνηση, η οποία σχηματίστηκε από το κίνημα της Χαμάς, σύμφωνα με την ελεύθερη βούληση του παλαιστινιακού λαού τους τελευταίους μήνες, η ευκαιρία να εργαστεί για τον λαό που την εξέλεξε.
Αντί να ανταμειφθεί ο παλαιστινιακός λαός που άσκησε τη δημοκρατία –κάτι που πολύ σπάνια βλέπουμε στην περιοχή μας– τιμωρήθηκε. Δεν καταλαβαίνω πώς είναι δυνατόν να επιβληθεί εμπάργκο σε μια κυβέρνηση που έχει εκλεγεί δημοκρατικά και πώς συλλογικές κυρώσεις είναι δυνατόν να επιβληθούν στον λαό συνολικά, μόνο και μόνο επειδή άσκησε το δημοκρατικό του δικαίωμα να εκλέξει τους ανθρώπους που θα τον κυβερνήσουν.
Δεν αποτελεί ένδειξη διπλών μέτρων και σταθμών να ζητάμε ελεύθερες εκλογές, από τη μια πλευρά, και στη συνέχεια να μην δεχόμαστε τα αποτελέσματά τους;
Η διευθέτηση του παλαιστινιακού ζητήματος συνδέεται με την ετοιμότητα του Ισραήλ να εκπληρώσει όλες τις υποχρεώσεις του εφαρμόζοντας τα διεθνή ψηφίσματα, τα οποία ορίζουν σαφώς την απόσυρση από τα αραβικά κατεχόμενα εδάφη, την ίδρυση ενός ανεξάρτητου παλαιστινιακού κράτους με πρωτεύουσα την ιερή πόλη της Ιερουσαλήμ, τον άμεσο τερματισμό της καταστροφής των παλαιστινιακών υποδομών και της δολοφονίας και του βασανισμού αμάχων, ως αποτέλεσμα των οποίων δεκάδες αθώοι Παλαιστίνιοι έχασαν τη ζωή τους στα Κατεχόμενα, με τελευταία περίπτωση τη σφαγή του Beit Hanoun. Αυτή είναι η οδός για να βγει το παλαιστινιακό ζήτημα από το αδιέξοδο στο οποίο έχει περιέλθει, και πιστεύουμε ότι η διεθνής κοινότητα οφείλει να καταβάλει πιο εντατικές προσπάθειες για την επίτευξη μιας ταχείας επίλυσης αυτού του προβλήματος, διότι αυτό θα ήταν επωφελές όχι μόνον για τη Μέση Ανατολή αλλά και για ολόκληρο τον κόσμο.
Στο όνομα του οικτίρμονος και ελεήμονος Θεού, κύριε Πρόεδρε, κυρίες και κύριοι, θα ήθελα να εκφράσω την ευγνωμοσύνη μου προς εσάς για την ευγενική πρόσκληση που μου απηύθυνε το Κοινοβούλιό σας, το οποίο αντιπροσωπεύει 450 εκατομμύρια Ευρωπαίους και είναι ένα από τα πιο επιτυχημένα παραδείγματα περιφερειακής ολοκλήρωσης σε ολόκληρο τον κόσμο. Θέλω επίσης να σας ευχαριστήσω για τη φιλοξενία και τη θερμή υποδοχή σας, καθώς και για τα φιλικά αισθήματα που εκδηλώσατε προς το πρόσωπό μου.
Υπάρχει ανάγκη εξεύρεσης μιας συνολικής διευθέτησης στην αραβοϊσραηλινή σύγκρουση. Αυτό επιβεβαιώθηκε εκ νέου από τον καταστροφικό πόλεμο που εξαπέλυσε το Ισραήλ κατά του Λιβάνου. Τώρα που ο πόλεμος τελείωσε και τώρα που οι δυνάμεις της UNIFIL –στην οποία αποφάσισε να συμμετάσχει και το Κατάρ– άρχισαν να εκτελούν τα καθήκοντά τους, ελπίζουμε ότι ο Λίβανος θα μπορέσει να επιβάλει την κυριαρχία του στο σύνολο της επικράτειάς του και ότι το Ισραήλ θα σεβαστεί αυτήν την κυριαρχία.
Όσον αφορά το Ιράκ, ελπίζουμε ότι η χώρα αυτή θα ξεπεράσει την κρίση την οποία διέρχεται τώρα, ότι θα διατηρήσει την κυριαρχία του και την ενότητα των εδαφών του και ότι ο ιρακινός λαός θα ανακτήσει ασφάλεια και ελευθερία. Είμαι πεπεισμένος ότι η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση, η οποία γνωρίζει τους κινδύνους που ενέχει η κατάσταση του Ιράκ για την περιφερειακή σταθερότητα στη Μέση Ανατολή, θα διπλασιάσει τις προσπάθειές της προκειμένου να βοηθήσει το Ιράκ να ξεπεράσει την κρίσιμη κατάσταση στην οποία βρίσκεται αυτήν τη στιγμή.
Η σταθερότητα στη Μέση Ανατολή απαιτεί επίσης να συνεχίσει το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο τις προσπάθειές του για την επίτευξη μιας ειρηνικής λύσης όσον αφορά το πυρηνικό πρόγραμμα του Ιράν, η οποία θα επιβεβαιώσει ότι οι στόχοι του θα παραμείνουν αποκλειστικά ειρηνικοί και υπό την εποπτεία του Διεθνούς Οργανισμού Ατομικής Ενέργειας. Εδώ θα θέλαμε να επαναλάβουμε την έκκλησή μας να καταστεί η Μέση Ανατολή μια περιοχή χωρίς πυρηνικά όπλα και να υποχρεώσουμε το Ισραήλ να υπογράψει τη συνθήκη μη διάδοσης των πυρηνικών όπλων.
Πριν ολοκληρώσω, θα ήθελα να αναφερθώ στη δύναμη της σχέσης συνεργασίας της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης με το κράτος του Κατάρ ειδικότερα, και με το Συμβούλιο Συνεργασίας των Αραβικών Χωρών του Περσικού Κόλπου, γενικότερα. Το κράτος του Κατάρ, από τότε που υπέγραψε τη συνθήκη συνεργασίας μεταξύ των χωρών του Συμβουλίου Συνεργασίας των Αραβικών Χωρών του Περσικού Κόλπου και της τότε ΕΟΚ το 1989, έχει αναπτύξει τις σχέσεις του με την Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση σε διάφορους τομείς. Στον τομέα της ενέργειας, το Κατάρ έχει υπογράψει συμβάσεις με μια σειρά χωρών της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης, μεταξύ των οποίων η Ιταλία, το Βέλγιο, η Βρετανία και η Ισπανία, για την κάλυψη των αναγκών των εν λόγω χωρών σε φυσικό αέριο. Έχουμε επίσης συνεργασία σε άλλους τομείς, όπως ο πολιτιστικός, ο πολιτικός και ο οικονομικός τομέας. Το Κατάρ και η Ευρωπαϊκή Ένωση θα μπορέσουν, συνεπώς, να ενισχύσουν περαιτέρω τους δεσμούς τους.
Θα ήθελα να σας ευχαριστήσω για μία ακόμη φορά, και είθε η ειρήνη και η ευλογία του Θεού να είναι μαζί σας.
Όταν κανείς απευθύνεται στο Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο δεν έχει άλλη επιλογή από το να εκφράσει τον μεγάλο θαυμασμό του για το επιμελές έργο που επιτελείται στην ευρωπαϊκή ήπειρο εδώ και πολλές δεκαετίες. Κατά τη διάρκεια αυτών των δεκαετιών, οι χώρες σας, επιστρατεύοντας τη λογική και τη θέληση, μπόρεσαν να αφήσουν πίσω τους τις οδυνηρές σελίδες του παρελθόντος και να ανοίξουν ένα νέο ελπιδοφόρο κεφάλαιο που περιλαμβάνει πολλά παραδείγματα επιτυχίας. Το υψηλό κύρος που διατηρεί σήμερα το Ευρωπαϊκό Κοινοβούλιο παγκοσμίως αποτελεί φάρο έμπνευσης τον οποίο πολλές άλλες χώρες προσπαθούν να μιμηθούν. Εμείς, στον αραβικό κόσμο, έχουμε την εμπειρία του Συνδέσμου των Αραβικών Κρατών, που μας κάνει να ελπίζουμε ότι θα επιτύχουμε όσα καταφέρατε και εσείς. Θα ήθελα εδώ να τονίσω ότι η δημοκρατία δεν είναι μια απλή αναγκαιότητα για κάθε κράτος στον κόσμο, αλλά αποτελεί προϋπόθεση για την επίτευξη περιφερειακής οικονομικής ολοκλήρωσης και για τη σταθερότητα των διεθνών σχέσεων σε κάθε περιοχή του κόσμου, διότι εμποδίζει οποιαδήποτε άλλη χώρα να λάβει αυθαίρετα αποφάσεις τις οποίες πρέπει να λαμβάνουν όλα τα έθνη σε όλες τις χώρες.
Το κράτος του Κατάρ, όπως γνωρίζετε καλά, έχει επιλέξει τη δημοκρατία ως μέσο για την προστασία των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων και για τη διασφάλιση της συμμετοχής του λαού. Η επιλογή μας υπέρ της δημοκρατίας είναι σύμφωνη με την υποχρέωσή μας να εφαρμόζουμε την αρχή της Al-Shoura, που είναι ένας από τους βασικούς κανόνες του Ισλάμ, ένας κανόνας που δεν μπορεί να περιφρονηθεί και θεσπίστηκε για να διευρύνει τη συμμετοχή του λαού. Ως εκ τούτου, η δημοκρατία δεν μπορεί να περιορίζεται στους ολίγους, αλλά πρέπει να περιλαμβάνει όλους τους ανθρώπους. Η αρχή αυτή δεν μπορεί να εφαρμοστεί επιλεκτικά. Είναι ένα θεμελιώδες δικαίωμα που δεν μπορεί να αγνοηθεί ή να καταπατηθεί. Ορισμένες φορές, η πραγματικότητα στην περιοχή μας δείχνει μια πρακτική διαφορετική από τις αρχές του Ισλάμ. Αυτό δεν οφείλεται σε κάποιο πρόβλημα με την αρχή αυτή καθαυτή, αλλά στο ότι αυτή παρερμηνεύεται και δεν εφαρμόζεται επακριβώς.
Το Ισλάμ δεν προτρέπει μόνον τον λαό του να συμμετέχει στον δημόσιο βίο: προτρέπει επίσης τους ανθρώπους να σέβονται τις μειονότητες και να προστατεύουν τα δικαιώματά τους. Ενθαρρύνει τους ανθρώπους να μαθαίνουν για τους πολιτισμούς των άλλων, να αλληλεπιδρούν μεταξύ τους σε μια σχέση δούναι και λαβείν. Με ευχαρίστησε πολύ το γεγονός ότι πολλοί από τους ευρωπαίους φίλους μου το γνωρίζουν αυτό σχετικά με το Ισλάμ και ξέρουν πολλά για την ιστορία των γειτόνων τους. Αυτό δείχνει ότι επιθυμούν να συνάψουν εποικοδομητικές σχέσεις και να ξεκινήσουν διάλογο με τους γείτονές τους.
Θα ήθελα να αναφέρω ότι οι Άραβες είναι η γέφυρα που βοήθησε τον ελληνικό πολιτισμό να διασχίσει την Ευρώπη, μέσω της μετάφρασης των ελληνικών έργων στα αραβικά. Πολλοί γνωστοί έλληνες φιλόσοφοι και στοχαστές μεταφέρθηκαν με αυτόν τον τρόπο στην ευρωπαϊκή διανόηση και έδωσαν κατά συνέπεια το έναυσμα για την Αναγέννηση.
Πολλοί άνθρωποι ήρθαν σε επαφή με το Ισλάμ και προσηλυτίστηκαν σε αυτήν τη θρησκεία με απόλυτη πεποίθηση και παραδοχή μέσω της αλληλεπίδρασης με τους Μουσουλμάνους και την πολιτιστική επικοινωνία τους μαζί τους. Το Ισλάμ εξαπλώθηκε μέσω του διαλόγου και άνθισε μέσω της πίστης. Δεν επιβλήθηκε ποτέ με τη βία σε κανέναν. Υπάρχουν εκείνοι που ισχυρίζονται το αντίθετο, αλλά οι άνθρωποι αυτοί έχουν άδικο και κατηγορούν αδίκως το Ισλάμ.
Είναι απαραίτητο εδώ να τονίσουμε τη σημασία του διαλόγου μεταξύ των οπαδών διαφόρων θρησκειών και να καταβάλουμε προσπάθειες για συνοχή μεταξύ των θρησκειών αυτών, προκειμένου να αποφευχθεί οποιαδήποτε τεχνητή και ανώφελη σύγκρουση. Δυστυχώς, υπάρχουν άτομα και ομάδες τόσο από την Ανατολή όσο και από τη Δύση, που ζητούν μια τέτοια σύγκρουση. Οι άνθρωποι αυτοί είναι αδαείς και έχουν γίνει εχθροί εκείνων που ανήκουν σε διαφορετική φυλή και έχουν διαφορετικό χρώμα από αυτούς. Δεν εκλαμβάνουν την πολυμορφία του κόσμου ως πηγή πλούτου και δεν έχουν λάβει υπόψη τους την έκκληση για επαναπροσέγγιση και διάλογο στον κόσμο αυτόν.
Επωφελούμαι αυτής της ευκαιρίας για να καλέσω όλους τους λογικούς, συνετούς και έντιμους ανθρώπους, τόσο στην Ανατολή όσο και στη Δύση, να ενωθούν όλοι μαζί και να υψώσουν το ανάστημά τους εναντίον αυτών των φωνών υπέρ της διχόνοιας και της μισαλλοδοξίας, που απειλούν την ειρήνη και τον σεβασμό των θρησκειών και των ιερών τόπων."@el10
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En nombre de Dios, el Misericordioso, el Compasivo, señor Presidente, Señorías, quiero expresarles mi gratitud por su amable invitación a dirigirme a su Parlamento, que representa a 450 millones de europeos y que es uno de los mejores ejemplos de integración regional efectiva en el mundo. También quiero darles las gracias por su hospitalidad y la amable acogida que nos han dispensado, así como la amistad que me han demostrado.
Debemos pedir respeto por las religiones y los lugares santos, para no ponerlos en peligro. Es igualmente importante cooperar para luchar contra la distorsión que causan los alborotadores, la ignorancia y los extremistas, contra las percepciones fabricadas por cada una de las partes sobre la otra. El Estado de Qatar se esfuerza continuamente con este fin y organiza muchos foros con el objetivo de fomentar el diálogo entre civilizaciones, entre ellos el Foro Anual para el Diálogo entre Religiones.
Los asuntos de Oriente Próximo siempre han sido de gran importancia para Europa, debido a la proximidad geográfica de las dos regiones y a la continuidad política, económica y cultural, que nunca ha dejado de existir a lo largo de la historia. Esa proximidad hace que sea de indudable interés para Europa apoyar una reforma global en los países de Oriente Próximo, y animarles a seguir con esas reformas con seriedad, sin volver la espalda a la democracia y sin abusar del concepto de democracia con palabras vacías. Una reforma amplia y una verdadera democracia son la forma de conseguir un mejor Oriente Próximo, para que esos países puedan tener estabilidad, su pueblo pueda disfrutar de la libertad, sus instituciones sean más fuertes y sus Estados puedan progresar con respeto por la ley; un Oriente Próximo cuyos ciudadanos tengan todo lo esencial y los medios científicos y económicos para trabajar en igualdad de condiciones con sus vecinos y el resto del mundo; para asociarse con ellos y no verse marginados de ellos.
En este sentido, sabemos, y probablemente Europa sabe aún mejor, que la inmigración de o a través de Oriente Próximo se ha convertido en un difícil reto. Aunque Europa ha trabajado muy duro durante años para superar este reto, para encontrar una solución satisfactoria, siempre hay que ir a la raíz del problema y abordar las causas, no solo los síntomas. Por lo tanto, cuando el proceso de reforma tiene éxito y la cultura de la democracia se estabiliza en Oriente Próximo, y cuando sus ciudadanos pueden luchar contra todas las formas de corrupción, muchos de quienes buscan una vida decente fuera de sus países ya no emigran, siempre que puedan satisfacer sus aspiraciones en su propio país.
La consolidación de la democracia y conseguir la paz en Oriente Próximo son objetivos de igual importancia. La falta de democracia y el hecho de no encontrar una solución justa para el problema palestino han producido diversas formas de violencia, que algunas personas consideran como terrorismo que hay que combatir con los medios más severos, sin diferenciar entre una forma y otra, ni buscar la manera de eliminar las causas que lo alimentan. Denunciamos todas las formas de terrorismo y trabajamos juntos con la comunidad internacional para combatirlo. Sin embargo, tenemos un gran interés en diferenciar entre aterrorizar de forma injustificada a personas inocentes bajo cualquier pretexto, que es algo que debe denunciarse, y el derecho legítimo de las personas a defenderse de la ocupación de conformidad con las leyes y las costumbres internacionales.
Creemos que una solución justa para la cuestión palestina debería basarse en el cumplimiento de todas las resoluciones internacionales tanto por parte israelí como por parte palestina, con la ayuda de la comunidad internacional para ambas partes. Así se evitaría la complejidad a que han llegado recientemente las relaciones entre las dos partes. El Gobierno palestino, constituido por el movimiento Hamás, de acuerdo con la libre voluntad del pueblo palestino en los últimos meses, debería haber tenido la oportunidad de trabajar para las personas que lo eligieron.
En vez de recompensar al pueblo palestino por practicar la democracia, algo que raras veces ocurre en nuestra región, se les ha castigado por ello. No entiendo cómo se puede imponer un embargo a un Gobierno que ha sido elegido democráticamente y cómo se pueden imponer sanciones colectivas a todo un pueblo en conjunto, solo porque ha practicado su derecho democrático a elegir a las personas que lo van a gobernar.
¿No es una doble moral pedir elecciones libres y después objetar sus resultados?
La solución del problema palestino está relacionada con la disposición de Israel a cumplir sus obligaciones poniendo en práctica las resoluciones internacionales, que establecen la retirada de los territorios árabes ocupados, la creación de un Estado palestino independiente con la Ciudad Santa de Jerusalén como capital, y el cese inmediato de la destrucción de infraestructuras palestinas y de las matanzas y torturas de personas civiles, como resultado de las cuales decenas de palestinos inocentes de los territorios ocupados han perdido la vida, y el último ejemplo ha sido la masacre de Beit Hanun. Ese es el camino para que la cuestión palestina pueda salir del punto muerto al que ha llegado, y creemos que la comunidad internacional debería realizar un esfuerzo más diligente para llegar a una rápida solución de este problema, porque ello beneficiaría no solo a Oriente Próximo sino al mundo entero.
Es necesario encontrar una solución global al conflicto árabe-israelí. Así lo ha confirmado de nuevo la reciente guerra destructiva que Israel ha librado contra el Líbano. Ahora que la lucha ha cesado y ahora que las fuerzas de la FPNUL, en la que Qatar decidió participar, han empezado a realizar su labor, esperamos que el Líbano pueda ejercer su soberanía en la totalidad de su territorio y que Israel respete esa soberanía.
Al hablar ante el Parlamento Europeo no hay otra opción que no sea expresar una gran admiración por el diligente trabajo realizado en el continente europeo durante muchas décadas. Durante esas décadas, sus países, con razón y fuerza de voluntad, han podido olvidar las páginas dolorosas del pasado y abrir un nuevo capítulo prometedor que incluye muchos ejemplos de éxito. El gran prestigio internacional de que goza el Parlamento Europeo hoy constituye un modelo que muchos otros países intentan emular. Nosotros, en el mundo árabe, tenemos la experiencia de la Liga de Estados Árabes, que nos permite tener la esperanza de conseguir lo que ustedes han conseguido. Quiero resaltar que la democracia no es una mera necesidad para cualquier Estado del mundo, sino una condición previa para conseguir la integración económica regional y para la estabilidad de las relaciones internacionales en cualquier región del mundo, porque impide que un país tome de forma arbitraria decisiones que corresponde tomar a todas las naciones de todos los países.
En cuanto a Iraq, esperamos que el país supere la crisis en la que se encuentra inmerso, que conserve su soberanía y la unidad de sus territorios, y que el pueblo iraquí recupere la seguridad y la libertad. Confío en que la Unión Europea, que es consciente de los peligros que plantea la situación iraquí para la estabilidad regional de Oriente Próximo, redoble sus esfuerzos para ayudar a Iraq a superar la peligrosa situación en la que se encuentra.
La estabilidad en Oriente Próximo requiere también que el Parlamento Europeo siga con sus esfuerzos por llegar a una solución pacífica respecto al programa nuclear iraní, para que confirme que sus objetivos seguirán siendo exclusivamente pacíficos y bajo la supervisión de la Agencia Internacional de la Energía Atómica. Nos gustaría repetir nuestro llamamiento a que Oriente Próximo sea una región libre de armas nucleares y a obligar a Israel a firmar el Tratado de No Proliferación.
Antes de terminar mi discurso, quisiera referirme a la solidez de la relación de cooperación entre la Unión Europea y el Estado de Qatar, en concreto, y con el Consejo de Cooperación para los Estados Árabes del Golfo en general. Desde que se firmó el Tratado de Cooperación entre los países del Consejo de Cooperación de los Estados Árabes del Golfo y la entonces CEE en 1989, el Estado de Qatar ha desarrollado sus relaciones con la Unión Europea en diversos ámbitos. Solo en el ámbito de la energía, Qatar ha firmado contratos con varios países de la Unión Europea, entre ellos Italia, Bélgica, Gran Bretaña y España, para satisfacer las necesidades de esos países en términos de gas natural. También cooperamos en otros campos como el ámbito cultural, político y económico. Qatar y la Unión Europea podrán así reforzar aún más sus vínculos.
Quiero darles las gracias una vez más, y que la paz y la gracia de Dios estén con ustedes.
El Estado de Qatar, como saben sus Señorías, ha elegido la democracia como medio para proteger los derechos humanos y conseguir la participación del pueblo. El hecho de que hayamos elegido la democracia es coherente con nuestra obligación de practicar el principio del Al Shura, que es una de las normas básicas del islam, una norma que no se puede ignorar y que fue puesta ahí para ampliar la participación de los ciudadanos. Por lo tanto, la democracia no debe limitarse a unos pocos, sino que debería incluir a todas las personas. Este principio no se puede aplicar de forma selectiva. Es un derecho fundamental que no se puede ignorar ni violar. A veces la realidad de nuestra región muestra una práctica distinta a los principios del islam. No es debido a un problema con el principio en sí, sino a una mala interpretación, y a que no se practica con exactitud.
El islam no solo insta a su pueblo a participar en los asuntos públicos: también insta a respetar a las minorías y a proteger sus derechos. Insta a las personas a aprender de las culturas de los demás, a interactuar con ellas en una relación de concesiones mutuas. Me ha complacido en gran manera que muchos de mis amigos europeos sepan eso del islam y conozcan una gran parte de la historia de sus vecinos. Esto demuestra que tienen el deseo de iniciar una relación fructífera y un diálogo con sus vecinos.
Quiero mencionar que los árabes fueron el puente a través del cual la civilización griega llegó a Europa, mediante la traducción de las obras griegas al árabe. Muchos filósofos y pensadores griegos famosos fueron, así, transferidos al intelecto europeo y, por consiguiente, desencadenaron el Renacimiento.
Muchas personas entraron en contacto con el islam y se convirtieron a esa religión con plena convicción y aceptación debido a la interacción con los musulmanes y a la comunicación cultural con ellos. El islam se extendió a través del diálogo y prosperó por convicción. Nunca se impuso por la fuerza a nadie. Hay quien dice lo contrario, pero esas personas están equivocadas y han difamado el islam.
Es necesario resaltar aquí la importancia del diálogo entre los seguidores de las diversas religiones y hacer un esfuerzo para la continuidad entre esas religiones con el fin de evitar un choque artificial e inútil. Por desgracia, tanto en Oriente como en Occidente hay individuos y grupos que han pedido ese choque. Esas personas son ignorantes y se han convertido en los enemigos de quienes son distintos a ellos en raza y color. No han visto en la diversidad del mundo una fuente de riqueza y no han hecho caso de la llamada de acercamiento y diálogo en este mundo.
Aprovecho esta oportunidad para pedir a todas las personas razonables, sabias y honestas, tanto de Oriente como de Occidente, que se unan para cerrar el paso a esas llamadas de división e intolerancia, que amenazan la paz y el respeto por las religiones y los lugares santos."@es20
"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@et5
".
Meidän on vaadittava, että uskontoja ja pyhiä paikkoja kunnioitetaan, jotta niitä ei vaaranneta. Yhtä tärkeää on tehdä yhteistyötä häiriköiden aiheuttamien vääristymien, välinpitämättömyyden ja ääriryhmien sekä kunkin osapuolen toisesta osapuolesta luomien väärien mielikuvien torjumiseksi. Qatarin valtio jatkaa ponnistelujaan tätä tarkoitusta varten, ja se isännöi monia foorumeita, joiden tavoitteena on kannustaa kulttuurien väliseen vuoropuheluun. Eräs tällainen foorumi on uskontojen välistä vuoropuhelua käsittelevä vuotuinen foorumi.
Lähi-idän kysymyksillä on aina ollut suuri merkitys Euroopalle näiden kahden alueen maantieteellisen läheisyyden ja niiden jatkuvien poliittisten, taloudellisten ja kulttuuristen siteiden takia, jotka eivät ole koskaan hävinneet historian aikana. Tämän läheisyyden takia on epäilemättä unionin edun mukaista kannattaa Lähi-idän maiden kattavaa uudistusta ja kannustaa niitä jatkamaan näitä uudistuksia vakavasti ja demokratiasta tinkimättä sekä käyttämättä hyväksi demokratian käsitettä esittämällä tyhjiä sanoja. Kattava uudistus ja aito demokratia ovat oikeita keinoja Lähi-idän tilanteen parantamiseksi, jotta sen maat voivat kokea vakauden, sen kansat voivat nauttia vapaudesta, sen laitokset voivat voimistua ja sen valtiot voivat kehittyä oikeusvaltioperiaatteen pohjalta. Tällöin Lähi-idän kansalaisilla on kaikki perusedellytykset ja tieteelliset ja taloudelliset keinot toimia tasavertaisina naapurimaidensa ja muun maailman kanssa ja luoda kumppanuuksia niiden kanssa sen sijaan, että ne vieraantuvat toisistaan.
Tältä osin tiedämme, ja luultavasti Euroopan unioni tietää vielä paremmin, että Lähi-idästä tai Lähi-idän kautta tapahtuvasta maastamuutosta on tullut valtava haaste. Vaikka Euroopan unioni onkin tehnyt useiden vuosien ajan valtavasti töitä vastatakseen tähän haasteeseen, onnistuneissa ratkaisuissa on aina mentävä ongelman lähteille ja käsiteltävä sen syitä, ei ainoastaan oireita. Kun siis uudistusprosessi tuottaa tulosta ja demokraattinen kulttuuri vakiintuu Lähi-idässä ja kun sen kansalaiset kykenevät torjumaan kaikentyyppistä korruptiota, monet niistä, jotka aiemmin etsivät ihmisarvoista elämää oman maansa ulkopuolelta, eivät enää muuta muualle, mikäli he pystyvät saavuttamaan omat tavoitteensa kotimaassaan.
Demokratian vakauttaminen ja rauhan saavuttaminen Lähi-idässä ovat yhtä tärkeitä tavoitteita. Demokratian puute ja kyvyttömyys löytää oikeudenmukaista ratkaisua palestiinalaisten ongelmaan on luonut erilaisia väkivallan muotoja, joita jotkut ihmiset pitävät terrorismina, jota vastaan on taisteltava kaikkein ankarimmilla keinoilla tekemättä eroa väkivallan eri muotojen välillä ja pohtimatta keinoja, miten poistaa ongelmaa ruokkivat tekijät. Tuomitsemme kaikenlaisen terrorismin ja teemme yhteistyötä kansainvälisen yhteisön kanssa sen torjumiseksi. Haluamme kuitenkin erottaa toisistaan yhtäältä sen, miten syyttömiä ihmisiä pelotellaan aiheettomasti jonkin verukkeen nojalla, mikä on tuomittavaa, ja toisaalta sen, että ihmisillä on kansainvälisten lakien ja käytäntöjen nojalla laillinen oikeus vastustaa miehitystä.
Katsomme, että palestiinalaisten kysymyksen oikeudenmukaisen ratkaisun perustana on, että niin Israelin kuin palestiinalaistenkin on pantava täytäntöön kaikki kansainväliset päätöslauselmat, ja kansainvälinen yhteisö tukee niitä molempia tässä asiassa. Näin vältetään monimutkaisuus, joka on nykyään ominaista näiden kahden osapuolen välisille suhteille. Hamas-liikkeen edustajista muodostuvalle palestiinalaishallitukselle, jonka palestiinalaiset valitsivat muutama kuukausi sitten omasta vapaasta tahdostaan, olisi annettava mahdollisuus tehdä töitä tämän kansan puolesta.
Sen sijaan, että palestiinalaisia olisi palkittu demokratian harjoittamisesta – demokratia on alueellamme hyvin harvinaista – sitä on rangaistu siitä. En ymmärrä, miten demokraattisesti valittu hallitus voidaan asettaa saartoon ja miten koko kansalle voidaan langettaa kollektiivisia seuraamuksia ainoastaan siitä syystä, että se on käyttänyt demokraattista oikeuttaan äänestää, ketkä ihmiset hallinnoivat maata.
Eikö ole kaksinaamaista vaatia ensin vapaita vaaleja ja sen jälkeen vastustaa vaalien tulosta?
Palestiinan kysymyksen ratkaiseminen on sidoksissa Israelin valmiuteen täyttää kaikki sen velvoitteet ja panna täytäntöön kansainväliset päätöslauselmat, joissa vaaditaan vetäytymistä miehitetyiltä arabialueilta, sellaisen itsenäisen Palestiinan valtion perustamista, jonka pääkaupunki olisi Jerusalemin pyhä kaupunki, sekä infrastruktuurin tuhoamisen ja siviilien tappamisen ja kiduttamisen välitöntä lopettamista palestiinalaisalueilla, sillä sen seurauksena kymmenet palestiinalaiset ovat saaneet surmansa miehitetyillä alueilla, ja Beit Hanoun verilöyly on tästä viimeisin esimerkki. Tämä on se tie, jota seuraamalla umpikujaan ajautunut Palestiinan kysymys saadaan ratkaistua, ja mielestämme kansainvälisen yhteisön olisi toimittava voimallisemmin, jotta tähän ongelmaan löydetään nopea ratkaisu, sillä tämä hyödyttäisi paitsi Lähi-itää myös koko maailmaa.
Arvoisa puhemies, hyvät parlamentin jäsenet, armollisen ja laupiaan Jumalan nimissä haluan ilmaista teille kiitollisuuteni ystävällisestä kutsustanne saapua Euroopan parlamenttiin, joka edustaa 450:tä miljoonaa eurooppalaista ja joka on yksi alueellisen yhdentymisen onnistuneimmista esimerkeistä koko maailmassa. Haluan myös kiittää teitä vieraanvaraisuudestanne ja lämpimästä vastaanotosta sekä minua kohtaan osoittamistanne ystävällisistä ajatuksista.
On löydettävä kattava ratkaisu arabimaiden ja Israelin väliseen konfliktiin. Tästä ovat osoituksena myös Israelin hiljattaiset tuhoisat sotatoimet Libanonissa. Nyt kun taistelu on päättynyt ja UNIFIL-joukot – joihin Qatar päätti osallistua – ovat käynnistäneet toimensa, toivomme, että Libanon voi toimia täysivaltaisesti kaikkialla alueellaan ja että Israel kunnioittaa sen täysivaltaisuutta.
Toivomme, että Irak selviytyy tämänhetkisestä kriisistään, että se säilyttää täysivaltaisuutensa ja alueidensa yhtenäisyyden ja että Irakin kansa saa takaisin turvallisuutensa ja vapautensa. Olen varma siitä, että Euroopan unioni, joka on tietoinen Irakin tilanteen Lähi-idän alueelliselle vakaudelle aiheuttamista vaaroista, tehostaa toimiaan Irakin auttamiseksi maan nykyisen vaikean tilanteen ratkaisemisessa.
Lähi-idän vakaus edellyttää myös, että Euroopan parlamentti jatkaa toimiaan päästäkseen rauhanomaiseen ratkaisuun Iranin ydinohjelmassa, jossa vahvistetaan, että Iranin tavoittelemat toimet pysyvät täysin rauhanomaisina ja Kansainvälisen atomienergiajärjestön valvonnassa. Haluan toistaa tässä yhteydessä pyyntömme siitä, että Lähi-idästä tehdään ydinaseeton alue ja että Israel velvoitetaan allekirjoittamaan ydinsulkusopimus.
Ennen puheeni loppua haluan viitata siihen, että Euroopan unionilla on vahva yhteistyösuhde etenkin Qatarin valtion ja yleisesti Persianlahden valtioiden kanssa. Sen jälkeen kun Qatarin valtio allekirjoitti Persianlahden valtioiden ja silloisen ETY:n yhteistyöneuvostoon kuuluneiden maiden yhteistyösopimuksen vuonna 1989, se on kehittänyt suhteitaan Euroopan unioniin monilla eri aloilla. Yksistään energia-alalla Qatar on allekirjoittanut sopimuksia muutamien Euroopan unionin jäsenvaltioiden, kuten Italian, Belgian, Yhdistyneen kuningaskunnan ja Espanjan kanssa, täyttääkseen näiden maiden maakaasua koskevat tarpeet. Harjoitamme yhteistyötä myös muilla, kulttuurin, politiikan ja talouden kaltaisilla aloilla. Qatar ja Euroopan unioni voivat siten lujittaa siteitään edelleen.
Haluan kiittää teitä vielä kerran ja toivotan teille rauhaa ja Jumalan siunausta.
Puhuessani täällä Euroopan parlamentissa en voi olla ilmaisematta, miten suuresti ihailen Euroopassa monien vuosikymmenten ajan toteutettuja uutteria toimia. Näiden vuosikymmenten aikana maanne ovat pystyneet ymmärryksen ja tahdonvoiman avulla unohtamaan menneisyyden tuskalliset tapahtumat ja avaamaan uuden lupaavan luvun, joka sisältää monia menestystarinoita. Euroopan parlamentin nykyinen korkea kansainvälinen asema on inspiroiva esimerkki, jota monet muut maat yrittävät seurata. Meillä arabimaailmassa on kokemusta arabivaltioiden liitosta, ja toivomme, että saavutamme vielä sen, mitä te olette saavuttaneet. Haluan korostaa tässä yhteydessä, ettei demokratia ole ainoastaan ehdoton välttämättömyys maailman jokaisessa valtiossa vaan että se on myös ennakkoehto alueelliselle taloudelliselle yhdentymiselle ja vakaille kansainvälisille suhteille kaikilla maailman alueilla. Demokratialla nimittäin varmistetaan, ettei yksikään maa voi tehdä mielivaltaisia päätöksiä asioissa, jotka koskevat kaikkien maiden kansoja.
Kuten hyvin tiedätte, Qatarin valtio on valinnut demokratian suojellakseen ihmisoikeuksia ja varmistaakseen kansalaistensa osallistumisen. Olemme valinneet demokratian sopusoinnussa velvollisuutemme kanssa harjoittaa Al-Shouran periaatetta, joka on yksi islamin perussäännöistä. Se on sääntö, jota ei voida jättää huomiotta ja joka otettiin käyttöön kansalaisten osallistumisen lisäämiseksi. Siksi demokratiaa ei saa rajoittaa vain harvoihin vaan se on ulotuttava kaikkiin ihmisiin. Tätä periaatetta ei voida soveltaa valikoivasti. Se on perusoikeus, jota ei voida jättää huomiotta tai loukata. Alueellamme vallitseva todellisuus osoittautuu toisinaan islamin periaatteiden vastaiseksi. Se ei johdu itse periaatetta koskevasta ongelmista, vaan periaatetta tulkitaan väärin eikä sitä noudateta tarkoin.
Sen lisäksi, että islamissa kehotetaan ihmisiä osallistumaan julkisiin asioihin, siinä kehotetaan myös kunnioittamaan vähemmistöjä ja suojelemaan heidän oikeuksiaan. Islamissa kannustetaan ihmisiä oppimaan muiden kulttuureista ja olemaan vuorovaikutuksessa niiden kanssa antamiseen ja ottamiseen perustuvan suhteen pohjalta. Olen hyvin tyytyväinen siihen, että monet eurooppalaisista ystävistäni tietävät nämä asiat islamista ja että he tietävät paljon naapureidensa historiasta. Tämä osoittaa, että he haluavat luoda hedelmällisiä suhteita ja käydä vuoropuhelua naapureidensa kanssa.
Haluan mainita, että kääntämällä kreikankielisiä teoksia arabiaksi arabit muodostivat sillan, jonka välityksellä kreikkalainen sivistys välittyi Eurooppaan. Monet kuuluisat kreikkalaiset filosofit ja ajattelijat tuotiin näin Euroopan älymystön tietoon, mikä edesauttoi myöhemmin renessanssin syntyä.
Monet ihmiset tulivat kosketuksiin islamin kanssa ja kääntyivät islaminuskoon osoittaen samalla täydellistä vakaumusta ja hyväksyntää olemalla vuorovaikutuksessa muslimien kanssa ja käymällä heidän kanssaan kulttuurista vuoropuhelua. Islam levisi vuoropuhelun välityksellä ja kukoisti vakuuttavasti. Ketään ei ole koskaan pakotettu kääntymään islaminuskoon. On ihmisiä, jotka väittävät toisin, mutta nämä ihmiset ovat väärässä ja he ovat vääristäneet islamia.
Tässä vaiheessa on välttämätöntä korostaa vuoropuhelua eri uskontojen harjoittajien välillä ja toteuttaa toimia jatkuvuuden varmistamiseksi tällaisten uskontojen välillä, jotta vältetään keinotekoiset ja tarpeettomat yhteentörmäykset. Sekä idässä että lännessä on kuitenkin valitettavasti yksittäisiä ihmisiä ja ryhmiä, jotka ovat lietsoneet tällaista yhteentörmäystä. Nämä ihmiset ovat tietämättömiä, ja he ovat tehneet vihollisia niistä, jotka poikkeavat heistä rodultaan tai ihonväriltään. He eivät ole ymmärtäneet, että maailman monimuotoisuus on vaurauden lähde, eivätkä he ole välittäneet kehotuksista pyrkiä lähentymiseen ja vuoropuheluun maailmassamme.
Hyödynnän tätä tilaisuutta pyytääkseni kaikkia ajattelevia, viisaita ja rehellisiä ihmisiä niin idässä kuin lännessäkin nousemaan yhdessä vastarintaan tällaisten jakaantumiseen ja suvaitsemattomuuteen yllyttävien kehotusten hiljentämiseksi, sillä niillä uhataan rauhaa sekä uskontojen ja pyhien paikkojen kunnioittamista."@fi7
". - Au nom de Dieu, le Miséricordieux, le Clément, Monsieur le Président, Mesdames et Messieurs, je tiens à vous faire part de ma gratitude pour votre aimable invitation à m’exprimer devant votre Assemblée, qui représente 450 millions d’Européens et constitue l’un des exemples d’intégration régionale les plus réussis du monde. Je voudrais également vous remercier de votre hospitalité, de votre accueil chaleureux et des sentiments bienveillants dont vous avez fait preuve à mon égard.
Nous devons encourager le respect des religions et des lieux saints, afin de les mettre hors de danger. Il importe tout autant de coopérer pour lutter contre la vision déformée que s’est construite chaque partie au sujet de l’autre, et qui est l’œuvre des fauteurs de trouble, de l’ignorance et des extrémistes. L’État du Qatar déploie des efforts permanents dans ce sens et accueille de nombreux forums dans le but d’encourager le dialogue entre civilisations, notamment le Forum annuel pour le dialogue interreligieux.
La situation au Moyen-Orient a toujours présenté une importance majeure pour l’Europe, en raison de la proximité géographique des deux régions et de leur continuité politique, économique et culturelle, laquelle n’a jamais cessé d’exister à travers l’histoire. Cette proximité souligne l’intérêt indubitable de l’Europe à soutenir une réforme complète dans les pays du Moyen-Orient et à encourager ceux-ci à poursuivre ces réformes avec sérieux et sans possibilité de revenir sur la démocratie, sans pour autant abuser du concept de démocratie par des mots vides de sens. Une réforme intégrale et une démocratie réelle représentent la voie à suivre pour améliorer la situation au Moyen-Orient, pour que ses pays puissent connaître la stabilité, pour que ses citoyens puissent jouir de la liberté, pour que ses institutions se renforcent et pour que ses États progressent sur la base du respect de la loi. Un Moyen-Orient dont les peuples disposent de l’ensemble des bases et des moyens scientifiques et économiques pour traiter d’égal à égal avec leurs voisins et avec le reste du monde. Pour être leurs partenaires, et non leur être aliénés.
À cet égard, nous savons, et l’Europe le sait probablement mieux encore, que l’immigration provenant du Moyen-Orient ou transitant par cette région est devenue un défi de taille. Bien que l’Europe ait travaillé d’arrache-pied pendant plusieurs années afin de relever ce défi, les solutions efficaces doivent toujours remonter aux racines du problème et traiter ses causes, pas uniquement ses symptômes. Par conséquent, lorsque le processus de réforme aboutira et que la culture de la démocratie se stabilisera au Moyen-Orient, lorsque ses peuples seront en mesure de combattre toutes les formes de corruption, nombre de ceux qui aspiraient à une vie décente en dehors de leur pays cesseront d’émigrer, puisqu’ils pourront satisfaire leurs aspirations dans leur propre pays.
La consolidation de la démocratie et l’instauration de la paix au Moyen-Orient constituent des objectifs d’égale importance. L’absence de démocratie et de solution équitable au problème palestinien a produit diverses formes de violence, que certaines personnes considèrent comme un type de terrorisme à combattre par les moyens les plus radicaux, sans faire la différence entre l’une ou l’autre forme, ni examiner les causes qui le nourrissent. Nous dénonçons toutes les formes de terrorisme et nous œuvrons avec la communauté internationale pour les combattre. Toutefois, nous préférons faire la distinction entre la terreur exercée gratuitement sur des personnes innocentes, quel qu’en soit le prétexte, laquelle doit être dénoncée, et le droit légitime des peuples à résister à l’occupation en vertu des lois et coutumes internationales.
Nous estimons qu’une solution juste à la question palestinienne doit se fonder sur l’application de toutes les résolutions internationales, tant par les Israéliens que par les Palestiniens, avec le soutien de la communauté internationale aux deux parties. Cette démarche permettra d’éviter le niveau de complexité atteint récemment par les relations entre les deux parties. Le gouvernement palestinien, constitué par le mouvement Hamas conformément au libre arbitre du peuple palestinien ces derniers mois, aurait dû bénéficier de la possibilité de travailler pour le peuple qui l’a élu.
Au lieu de récompenser le peuple palestinien pour l’exercice de la démocratie - un phénomène rare dans notre région -, l’intéressé a été sanctionné pour cette même raison. Je ne comprends pas comment un embargo peut être imposé à un gouvernement démocratiquement élu ni comment il est possible d’imposer des sanctions collectives à tout un peuple, au seul motif d’avoir exercé son droit démocratique d’élire ceux qui le gouverneront.
N’est-il pas hypocrite de réclamer des élections libres avant de contester leur résultat?
La résolution de la question palestinienne dépend de la disposition d’Israël à remplir toutes ses obligations en appliquant les résolutions internationales, qui stipulent le retrait des territoires arabes occupés, l’installation d’un État palestinien indépendant ayant la ville sainte de Jérusalem pour capitale, la cessation immédiate de la destruction des infrastructures palestiniennes ainsi que des assassinats et des actes de torture perpétrés contre des civils, à la suite desquels des dizaines de Palestiniens innocents des territoires occupés ont perdu la vie - le dernier exemple en date étant le massacre de Beit Hanoun. Telle est l’issue permettant de sortir la question palestinienne de l’impasse dans laquelle elle se trouve. Nous pensons par ailleurs que la communauté internationale doit redoubler d’efforts afin de régler rapidement ce problème, car le monde entier, et non le seul Moyen-Orient, en profiterait.
Il est nécessaire d’identifier un arrangement global au conflit arabo-israélien. La guerre de destruction menée récemment par Israël contre le Liban l’a confirmé une nouvelle fois. Compte tenu de l’arrêt des combats et du lancement des missions des forces de la FINUL - à laquelle le Qatar a décidé de participer -, nous espérons que le Liban sera en mesure d’exercer sa souveraineté sur l’ensemble de son territoire et qu’Israël respectera cette souveraineté.
En s’adressant au Parlement européen, on ne peut qu’exprimer une grande admiration pour le travail consciencieux accompli sur le continent européen depuis de nombreuses décennies. Durant celles-ci, vos pays, mus par la raison et la volonté, ont été en mesure d’oublier les pages douloureuses du passé et d’ouvrir un nouveau chapitre prometteur, englobant une multitude d’exemples de réussites. Le statut international de premier plan dont dispose aujourd’hui le Parlement européen représente une source d’inspiration qu’une multitude d’autres pays tentent d’égaler. Notre monde arabe connaît la Ligue des pays arabes, laquelle nous fait espérer que nos accomplissements seront à la hauteur des vôtres. Je voudrais par conséquent souligner que la démocratie n’est pas une simple nécessité pour tous les pays du monde, mais une condition préalable à l’achèvement de l’intégration économique régionale et à la stabilité des relations internationales, quelle que soit la région du monde concernée. En effet, elle empêche tout État de prendre des décisions arbitraires relevant de l’ensemble des nations, de tous les pays.
En ce qui concerne l’Irak, nous espérons que le pays surmontera la crise à laquelle il fait face actuellement, qu’il préservera sa souveraineté et l’unité de ses territoires et que le peuple irakien retrouvera la sécurité et la liberté. Je suis certain que l’Union européenne, consciente des dangers de la situation irakienne sur la stabilité régionale du Moyen-Orient, redoublera d’efforts afin d’aider l’Irak à maîtriser la situation dangereuse dans laquelle il se trouve actuellement.
La stabilité au Moyen-Orient nécessite également la poursuite des efforts du Parlement européen en vue de parvenir à une solution pacifique concernant le programme nucléaire iranien, qui confirmera la vocation purement pacifique de ce dernier, sous la supervision de l’Agence internationale de l’énergie atomique. Nous voudrions, à cet égard, réitérer l’appel que nous avons lancé pour faire de la région du Moyen-Orient une région dépourvue d’armes nucléaires et contraindre Israël à ratifier le traité de non-prolifération.
Avant de terminer mon allocution, je voudrais souligner la force de la relation de coopération qui existe entre l’Union européenne et l’État du Qatar en particulier, ainsi qu’avec le Conseil de coopération des États du Golfe arabe d’une manière générale. L’État du Qatar, depuis qu’il a ratifié le traité de coopération conclu entre les pays du Conseil de coopération des États du Golfe arabe et celle qui s’appelait encore la CEE en 1989, a développé ses relations avec l’Union européenne dans plusieurs domaines. Dans le seul secteur énergétique, le Qatar a signé des contrats avec plusieurs pays de l’Union européenne, notamment l’Italie, la Belgique, la Grande Bretagne et l’Espagne, afin de couvrir les besoins en gaz naturel de ces pays. Nous collaborons également dans d’autres domaines, en matière culturelle, politique et économique par exemple. Le Qatar et l’Union européenne seront par conséquent en mesure de renforcer davantage encore leurs liens.
Je voudrais vous remercier encore une fois. Que la paix et la grâce de Dieu soient avec vous!
L’État du Qatar, comme vous le savez, a choisi la démocratie pour protéger les droits de l’homme et obtenir la participation des citoyens. Notre choix démocratique est en accord avec notre obligation de pratiquer le principe d’Al-Shoura, l’une des règles fondamentales de l’islam, une règle qui ne peut être ignorée et qui a été mise en place afin de renforcer la participation populaire. Par conséquent, la démocratie ne peut se limiter à quelques-uns, elle doit concerner l’ensemble de la population. Ce principe ne peut s’appliquer de manière sélective. C’est un droit fondamental qui ne peut être ignoré ni enfreint. Parfois, la réalité de notre région s’écarte des principes de l’islam. Ce n’est pas un problème touchant au principe proprement dit qui est en cause, mais une erreur d’interprétation et une mise en pratique imprécise.
L’islam n’appelle pas uniquement ses croyants à participer aux affaires publiques, mais aussi à respecter les minorités et à protéger leurs droits. Il encourage les personnes à découvrir les cultures des autres, à interagir avec eux dans une relation d’échange. Je me suis considérablement réjoui de constater que nombre de mes amis européens le savaient et connaissaient très bien l’histoire de leurs voisins. Cela démontre leur désir de s’engager dans des relations et un dialogue fertiles avec leurs voisins.
Je tiens à signaler que les Arabes ont joué un rôle de pont ayant permis à la civilisation grecque de traverser l’Europe, par la traduction des œuvres grecques en arabe. De nombreux philosophes et penseurs grecs célèbres ont, ce faisant, été versés dans l’esprit européen, déclenchant ainsi la Renaissance.
De nombreuses personnes sont entrées en contact avec l’islam et se sont converties à cette religion, avec une conviction totale et de plein gré, à la suite d’interactions et d’échanges culturels avec des musulmans. L’islam s’est répandu par le dialogue et s’est développé par la foi. Il n’a jamais été imposé à qui que ce soit par la force. Certains affirment le contraire, mais ils se trompent et ont déformé l’islam.
Il importe dans le cas présent de souligner l’importance du dialogue entre croyants de diverses religions et de s’efforcer d’assurer la continuité entre celles-ci afin d’éviter tout conflit artificiel et inutile. Malheureusement, certains individus et groupes, en Orient comme en Occident, appellent ce conflit de leurs vœux. Ces personnes sont ignorantes et sont devenues les ennemis de ceux qui sont différents par leur race ou leur couleur. Ils n’ont pas vu dans la diversité du monde une source de bien-être et n’ont pas tenu compte de l’appel au rapprochement et au dialogue dans ce monde.
Je profite de l’occasion qui m’est offerte pour appeler l’ensemble des personnes raisonnables, sages et honnêtes, à l’Est comme à l’Ouest, à s’unir pour contrer ces appels à la division et à l’intolérance, qui menacent la paix et le respect des religions et des lieux saints."@fr8
"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@hu11
".
Nel nome di Dio, misericordioso e pietoso, signor Presidente, onorevoli parlamentari, desidero esprimervi la mia gratitudine per il cortese invito a parlare dinanzi a questo Parlamento, che rappresenta 450 milioni di europei ed è uno degli esempi di integrazione regionale di maggior successo nel mondo intero. Vorrei anche ringraziarvi per l’ospitalità, la cordiale accoglienza e i sentimenti di amicizia che mi avete dimostrato.
Occorre promuovere il rispetto per le religioni e i luoghi sacri per non metterli in pericolo. E’ ugualmente importante collaborare per combattere le distorsioni, provocate da fomentatori, ignoranti ed estremisti, delle percezioni reciproche delle diverse parti. Lo Stato del Qatar dedica un impegno costante a tale scopo e ospita molti
intesi ad incoraggiare il dialogo tra civiltà, come il
annuale per il dialogo tra religioni.
La situazione del Medio Oriente riveste da sempre una notevole importanza per l’Europa a causa della vicinanza geografica delle due regioni e della loro continuità politica, economica e culturale, che non è mai venuta meno nel corso della storia. In considerazione di tale vicinanza è indubbiamente nell’interesse dell’Europa sostenere vaste riforme nei paesi del Medio Oriente e incoraggiarli a proseguire con serietà sulla strada delle riforme senza tornare sui loro passi e senza abusare del concetto di democrazia con parole vuote. Ampie riforme e la democrazia reale sono la strada per un Medio Oriente migliore, affinché quei paesi possano raggiungere la stabilità, i loro abitanti possano godere della libertà, le loro istituzioni possano diventare più forti e gli Stati possano progredire sulla base del rispetto della legge; un Medio Oriente dove le persone dispongano di tutti i mezzi scientifici ed economici di base per trattare come pari con i vicini e il resto del mondo, per agire come
e non essere emarginati.
A questo proposito sappiamo, e probabilmente l’Europa lo sa ancora meglio, che l’immigrazione da o attraverso i paesi del Medio Oriente è divenuta una sfida enorme. Benché l’Europa si impegni molto da anni per affrontare la questione, le soluzioni vincenti sono sempre quelle che vanno alla radice del problema e ne affrontano le cause, non solo i sintomi. Di conseguenza, quando il processo di riforma sarà portato a termine con successo e la cultura della democrazia sarà consolidata nel Medio Oriente, e i suoi popoli saranno in grado di combattere tutte le forme di corruzione, molte delle persone che lasciano il loro paese alla ricerca di una vita decente non sceglieranno più di emigrare, purché possano soddisfare le proprie aspirazioni nel proprio paese.
Il consolidamento della democrazia e il raggiungimento della pace in Medio Oriente sono obiettivi di pari importanza. La mancanza di democrazia e l’incapacità di trovare una soluzione giusta per il problema palestinese hanno prodotto varie forme di violenza, che alcuni considerano atti di terrorismo da combattere con le misure più severe, senza differenziare tra una forma o l’altra, né prendere in considerazione modi per eliminare le cause che le alimentano. Noi denunciamo tutte le forme di terrorismo e collaboriamo con la comunità internazionale per combatterle. Tuttavia, intendiamo distinguere tra gli atti di violenza ingiustificata su persone innocenti per qualsivoglia pretesto, che vanno denunciati, e quello che è il diritto legittimo di un popolo di opporre resistenza all’occupazione secondo le leggi e le consuetudini internazionali.
Siamo convinti che una soluzione giusta alla questione palestinese si dovrebbe basare sull’attuazione di tutte le risoluzioni internazionali da parte di israeliani e palestinesi, con il sostegno della comunità internazionale per entrambe le parti. In questo modo si eviterebbe la complessità raggiunta recentemente nelle relazioni tra le due parti. Il governo palestinese, costituito negli ultimi mesi dal movimento di
conformemente alla libera volontà del popolo palestinese, avrebbe dovuto avere l’opportunità di lavorare per la popolazione che l’ha eletto.
Invece di essere premiato per avere esercitato la democrazia – cosa che si vede raramente nella nostra regione – il popolo palestinese è stato punito per questo. Non capisco come si possa imporre un
su un governo democraticamente eletto e come si possano imporre sanzioni collettive su tutta la popolazione solo perché ha esercitato il suo diritto democratico di eleggere le persone che la governeranno.
Non è una contraddizione chiedere libere elezioni e poi contestarne il risultato?
La definizione della questione palestinese è collegata alla disponibilità di Israele di adempiere tutti i suoi obblighi, attuando le risoluzioni internazionali che sanciscono il ritiro dai territori arabi occupati, l’istituzione di uno Stato palestinese indipendente con la città santa di Gerusalemme come capitale, la cessazione immediata della distruzione delle infrastrutture palestinesi e delle uccisioni e torture di civili, per cui decine di palestinesi innocenti nei territori occupati hanno perso la vita, come nell’ultimo caso del massacro di Beit Hanoun. Questa è la via d’uscita dalla situazione di stallo in cui si trova ora la questione palestinese, e riteniamo che la comunità internazionale dovrebbe impegnarsi di più per arrivare rapidamente a una soluzione del problema, con vantaggio non solo per il Medio Oriente ma per il mondo intero.
Occorre trovare una soluzione generale al conflitto arabo-israeliano. Questa necessità è stata riconfermata dalla recente guerra distruttiva mossa da Israele contro il Libano. Ora che i combattimenti si sono fermati e che le forze UNIFIL – alle quali partecipa il Qatar – hanno cominciato a svolgere i loro compiti, ci auguriamo che il Libano sarà in grado di esercitare la sua sovranità su tutto il suo territorio, e che Israele la rispetti.
Nel rivolgersi al Parlamento europeo, non si ha altra scelta che esprimere una grande ammirazione per l’opera diligente che si è svolta sul continente europeo per molti decenni. Nel corso di quegli anni i vostri paesi, con motivazione e forza di volontà, sono stati capaci di dimenticare le pagine dolorose del passato e di aprire un nuovo capitolo promettente, già ricco di successi. Il prestigioso
internazionale di cui oggi gode il Parlamento europeo rappresenta un faro di ispirazione che molti altri paesi stanno cercando di emulare. Noi, nel mondo arabo, abbiamo l’esperienza della Lega degli Stati arabi, che ci fa sperare che anche noi riusciremo a realizzare quello che avete realizzato voi. In questa sede, desidero sottolineare che la democrazia non è solo una necessità per ogni paese del mondo, bensì è un requisito fondamentale per l’integrazione economica regionale e per la stabilità delle relazioni internazionali in tutte le regioni del mondo, perché impedisce a un paese di prendere decisioni arbitrarie che spettano a tutte le nazioni in tutti i paesi.
Riguardo all’Iraq, ci auguriamo che il paese superi la crisi attuale, che mantenga la sovranità e l’unità dei suoi territori e che la popolazione dell’Iraq ritrovi la sicurezza e la libertà. Confido che l’Unione europea, che è consapevole del pericolo rappresentato dalla situazione irachena per la stabilità regionale nel Medio Oriente, raddoppi gli sforzi per aiutare l’Iraq a superare la situazione pericolosa in cui si trova in questo momento.
La stabilità nel Medio Oriente impone inoltre che il Parlamento europeo continui a impegnarsi per una soluzione pacifica alla questione del programma nucleare iraniano, con la conferma che i suoi obiettivi resteranno esclusivamente pacifici e sotto la supervisione dell’Agenzia internazionale per l’energia atomica. A questo proposito, vorremmo ribadire l’invito a eliminare la presenza di armi nucleari in Medio Oriente e a obbligare Israele a firmare il Trattato di non proliferazione.
Prima di concludere il mio discorso, desidero ricordare la forza del rapporto di cooperazione tra l’Unione europea e lo Stato del Qatar nello specifico, e con il Consiglio di cooperazione degli Stati del Golfo in generale. Dalla firma del trattato di cooperazione tra i paesi del Consiglio di cooperazione degli Stati del Golfo e l’allora CEE nel 1989, lo Stato del Qatar ha consolidato le relazioni con l’Unione europea in vari settori. Solo nel campo dell’energia, il Qatar ha concluso contratti con una serie di paesi dell’Unione europea, tra cui Italia, Belgio, Regno Unito e Spagna, per soddisfare il fabbisogno di gas naturale di questi paesi. Abbiamo instaurato rapporti di collaborazione anche in campo culturale, economico e politico. Il Qatar e l’Unione europea saranno quindi in grado di rafforzare ulteriormente i legami che li uniscono.
Vi ringrazio nuovamente, e che la pace e la grazia di Dio siano con tutti voi.
Lo Stato del Qatar, come ben sapete, ha scelto la democrazia come strumento per proteggere i diritti umani e promuovere la partecipazione del popolo. La nostra scelta democratica è in linea con il nostro obbligo di praticare il principio di
una delle regole fondamentali dell’
che non può essere trascurata e che è stata istituita per ampliare la partecipazione del popolo. Quindi, la democrazia non dev’essere limitata ai pochi, ma dovrebbe comprendere tutto il popolo. Questo principio non si può applicare in modo selettivo. E’ un diritto fondamentale che non può essere ignorato né calpestato. Talvolta, nella realtà della nostra regione si evidenziano comportamenti differenti dai principi dell’
. Questo non è dovuto a un problema insito nel principio stesso, ma al fatto che viene male interpretato e applicato in modo sbagliato.
L’
non solo invita i fedeli a partecipare alla vita pubblica, ma li invita anche a rispettare le minoranze e a proteggerne i diritti. Incoraggia le persone a conoscere le altre culture e ad interagire con esse in un rapporto di dare e avere. Mi ha fatto molto piacere che molti dei miei amici europei conoscano questo aspetto dell’
e siano bene informati sulla storia dei loro vicini. Significa che hanno il desiderio di instaurare con loro un rapporto e un dialogo fruttuosi.
Vorrei ricordare che gli arabi fecero da ponte tra la civiltà greca e l’Europa, con la traduzione in arabo di opere greche. Molti famosi filosofi e pensatori greci furono in tal modo trasferiti nel pensiero europeo, dando quindi vita al Rinascimento.
Molte persone sono entrate in contatto con l’
e si sono convertite a questa religione con piena convinzione e accettazione, grazie all’interazione e alle comunicazioni culturali con musulmani. L’
si è diffuso attraverso il dialogo ed è proliferato con la convinzione. Non è mai stato imposto con la forza. C’è chi afferma il contrario, ma queste persone sbagliano e offendono l’
.
Occorre sottolineare l’importanza del dialogo tra i seguaci di diverse religioni e impegnarsi per la continuità tra le religioni, al fine di evitare qualsiasi scontro artificiale e inutile. Purtroppo, in Oriente e in Occidente esistono gruppi e individui che hanno invocato un simile scontro. Si tratta di persone ignoranti, che si sono dichiarate nemiche di chi è diverso da loro per la razza o il colore della pelle; non vedono nella diversità una fonte di ricchezza e non prestano ascolto agli appelli per l’avvicinamento e il dialogo nel mondo.
Colgo questa occasione per esortare tutte le persone ragionevoli, sagge e oneste, in Oriente e in Occidente, a fare fronte comune per bloccare i proclami di divisione e intolleranza, che minacciano la pace e il rispetto per le religioni e i luoghi sacri."@it12
"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@lt14
"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@lv13
"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@mt15
"In de naam van God, de Genadige, de Barmhartige, wil ik u, mijnheer de Voorzitter, dames en heren, bedanken voor de uitnodiging om uw Parlement toe te spreken, een Parlement dat 450 miljoen Europeanen vertegenwoordigt en een van de succesvolste voorbeelden van regionale integratie ter wereld vormt. Ik wil u ook bedanken voor uw gastvrijheid en het hartelijke welkom en de vriendschap waarmee u mij hebt bejegend.
We moeten oproepen tot respect voor godsdiensten en heilige plaatsen zodat zij niet worden bedreigd. Evenzeer is het van belang samen te strijden tegen de onjuiste voorstellingen die onruststokers, onwetenden en extremisten van anderen maken. Qatar zet zich daar met niet-aflatende inspanningen voor in en is de gastheer van talrijke fora die tot doel hebben de dialoog tussen beschavingen te bevorderen. Een voorbeeld hiervan is het jaarlijkse forum voor de dialoog tussen godsdiensten.
Midden-Oostenvraagstukken zijn altijd van groot belang voor Europa geweest, vanwege de geografische nabijheid van de twee regio’s en hun politieke, economische en culturele continuïteit waarvan in de loop der geschiedenis altijd sprake is geweest. Daarom is het zonder enige twijfel in het belang van Europa om een alomvattende hervorming in de landen van het Midden-Oosten te steunen en hen aan te sporen deze hervormingen zorgvuldig voort te zetten zonder de democratie de rug toe te keren of het begrip democratie met lege woorden te misbruiken. Alomvattende hervormingen en echte democratie vormen de weg naar een betere samenleving in het Midden-Oosten. Dan zullen de landen in die regio stabiliteit ervaren, de bevolking zal vrijheid genieten, de instellingen in die landen zullen sterker worden en de staten zullen vooruit kunnen komen dankzij de eerbiediging van het recht. Zo ontstaat er een Midden-Oosten met een bevolking die over alle basisvoorzieningen en wetenschappelijke en economische middelen beschikt om een gelijkwaardig partnerschap met haar buren en de rest van de wereld aan te gaan en niet van hen te vervreemden.
Wij weten – en waarschijnlijk weet Europa het zelfs nog beter – dat immigratie uit of via het Midden-Oosten nu een enorme uitdaging vormt. Europa heeft jarenlang hard gewerkt om dit probleem te bestrijden. Echte oplossingen kunnen echter uitsluitend worden gevonden als de oorzaken en niet alleen de symptomen worden aangepakt. Wanneer het hervormingsproces slaagt en de democratie overal in het Midden-Oosten gemeengoed wordt en wanneer alle vormen van corruptie worden tegengegaan, zullen velen die overwegen naar het buitenland te vertrekken om daar een bestaan op te bouwen, afzien van emigratie, mits zij hun ambities in eigen land kunnen realiseren.
Consolidatie van de democratie en het bereiken van vrede in het Midden-Oosten zijn van even groot belang. Door het gebrek aan democratie en het uitblijven van een rechtvaardige oplossing voor het Palestijnse probleem hebben allerlei vormen van geweld de kop opgestoken. Sommige mensen stellen dit geweld gelijk met terrorisme dat zo krachtig mogelijk moet worden bestreden, zonder onderscheid te maken tussen de verschillende vormen van geweld of zonder een poging te doen de oorzaken weg te nemen die daaraan ten grondslag liggen. Wij keuren alle vormen van terrorisme af en werken samen met de internationale gemeenschap aan de bestrijding ervan. Wij maken echter wel onderscheid tussen het zonder enige reden angst aanjagen van onschuldige mensen onder welk voorwendsel dan ook – iets wat afgekeurd moet worden – en het legitieme recht van mensen om in overeenstemming met internationale wetten en gebruiken weerstand te bieden aan een bezettende macht.
Wij geloven dat een rechtvaardige oplossing voor het Palestijnse vraagstuk gebaseerd moet zijn op de uitvoering van alle internationale resoluties door zowel Israëli’s als Palestijnen. Daarbij dienen beide partijen door de internationale gemeenschap te worden ondersteund, gezien de complexiteit van de huidige betrekkingen tussen betrokkenen. De Palestijnse regering, die sinds enkele maanden overeenkomstig de vrije wil van het Palestijnse volk wordt gevormd door de Hamas-beweging, had de gelegenheid moeten krijgen om aan de slag te gaan voor de mensen die haar gekozen hebben.
Het Palestijnse volk is niet beloond voor het praktiseren van democratie, een staatsvorm die in onze regio zelden voorkomt. Integendeel, het is ervoor gestraft. Ik begrijp niet hoe een embargo kan worden ingesteld tegen een democratisch gekozen regering en hoe er collectieve sancties kunnen worden opgelegd aan de bevolking als geheel, enkel en alleen omdat zij haar democratische recht heeft uitgeoefend om haar eigen volksvertegenwoordigers te kiezen.
Wordt er geen dubbele standaard gehanteerd als er op vrije verkiezingen wordt aangedrongen en de uitslag ervan vervolgens niet wordt gerespecteerd?
Of het Palestijnse vraagstuk kan worden opgelost, hangt af van de bereidheid van Israël om aan al zijn verplichtingen te voldoen en de internationale resoluties uit te voeren, waarin wordt opgeroepen tot de terugtrekking uit de Arabische bezette gebieden, de stichting van een onafhankelijke Palestijnse staat met de heilige stad Jeruzalem als hoofdstad en het onmiddellijk staken van de verwoesting van Palestijnse infrastructuur en het doden en martelen van burgers, als gevolg waarvan tientallen onschuldige Palestijnen in de bezette gebieden zijn omgekomen, met als meest recente voorbeeld de slachting in Beit Hanoun. Als dat gebeurt, kan de impasse in het Palestijnse vraagstuk worden doorbroken en naar ons oordeel moet de internationale gemeenschap zich ijveriger inspannen om dit probleem snel op te lossen. Dat zou niet alleen heilzaam zijn voor het Midden-Oosten maar voor de hele wereld.
Er dient een alomvattende regeling te komen voor het Arabisch-Israëlische conflict. Dit werd nog eens bevestigd door de verwoestende oorlog die Israël onlangs tegen Libanon heeft gevoerd. Nu de gevechten zijn gestopt en de UNIFIL-troepen, waaraan Qatar een bijdrage levert, met de uitvoering van hun taken zijn begonnen, hopen wij dat Libanon zijn soevereiniteit op heel zijn grondgebied kan uitoefenen en dat Israël die soevereiniteit zal eerbiedigen.
In een toespraak voor het Europees Parlement kan men niet anders dan zijn grote bewondering uitspreken voor de ijverige inspanningen die vele decennia op het Europese continent zijn geleverd. Gedurende deze decennia zijn uw landen er dankzij hun gezond verstand en wilskracht in geslaagd de pijnlijke bladzijden uit het verleden te vergeten en een nieuw veelbelovend hoofdstuk te openen dat talrijke succesverhalen telt. Het Europees Parlement geniet tegenwoordig een hoge internationale status en vormt een baken van inspiratie waaraan veel anderen landen zich spiegelen. In de Arabische wereld kennen we de Liga van Arabische Staten en we hopen dat we daarmee ooit dezelfde resultaten kunnen boeken als u. Ik wil hier graag benadrukken dat democratie niet alleen een noodzaak is voor elke staat in de wereld, maar ook een eerste voorwaarde voor de verwezenlijking van regionale economische integratie en voor de stabiliteit van de internationale betrekkingen in alle regio’s over de hele wereld. Democratie voorkomt namelijk dat één land eigenmachtig besluiten neemt die door alle volken in alle landen moeten worden genomen.
Wat Irak betreft hopen we dat dat land de huidige crisis te boven zal komen, dat het zijn soevereiniteit en de eenheid van zijn grondgebied zal bewaren en dat het Irakese volk zich weer veilig zal voelen en zijn vrijheid zal terugkrijgen. Ik vertrouw erop dat de Europese Unie, die zich bewust is van de risico's die de situatie in Irak voor de regionale stabiliteit in het Midden-Oosten meebrengt, extra haar best zal doen om Irak te helpen een uitweg te vinden voor de gevaarlijke situatie waarin het land nu verkeert.
Voor stabiliteit in het Midden-Oosten is het tevens nodig dat het Europees Parlement blijft streven naar een vreedzame oplossing voor het Iraanse nucleaire programma, die zal bevestigen dat de doelen ervan louter vreedzaam zullen blijven en dat het programma onder toezicht blijft van het Internationaal Agentschap voor Atoomenergie. Graag willen we hier onze oproep herhalen om van het Midden-Oosten een kernwapenvrije regio te maken en om Israël te verplichten het Non-proliferatieverdrag te tekenen.
Alvorens mijn toespraak te beëindigen, wil ik nog even wijzen op de kracht van de samenwerking tussen de Europese Unie en Qatar en, in het algemeen, tussen de Europese Unie en de Samenwerkingsraad van de Arabische Golfstaten. Qatar heeft sinds de ondertekening van de Samenwerkingsovereenkomst tussen de landen van de Samenwerkingsraad van de Arabische Golfstaten en de toenmalige EEG in 1989 zijn betrekkingen met de Europese Unie op diverse terreinen uitgebreid. Alleen al op energiegebied heeft Qatar contracten gesloten met een aantal landen van de Europese Unie, waaronder Italië, België, Groot-Brittannië en Spanje, om in hun aardgasbehoefte te voorzien. We werken eveneens samen op andere terreinen, bijvoorbeeld op cultureel, politiek en economisch gebied. Op deze wijze kunnen Qatar en de Europese Unie hun banden verder aanhalen.
Ik wil u nogmaals bedanken en moge de vrede en genade van God met u zijn.
Zoals u weet heeft Qatar voor de democratie gekozen als een middel om de mensenrechten te beschermen en participatie van de bevolking te bewerkstelligen. Onze keuze voor de democratie is in overeenstemming met onze verplichting om het beginsel van al-Sjoera in de praktijk te brengen. Dit beginsel vormt een van de grondregels van de islam en mag niet veronachtzaamd worden. Het is destijds ingesteld om de participatie van mensen te vergroten. Daarom moet democratie niet slechts gelden voor een enkeling, maar voor alle mensen. Dit beginsel mag niet selectief worden toegepast. Het is een fundamenteel recht dat niet genegeerd of geschonden mag worden. Soms strookt de praktijk in onze regio niet met de beginselen van de islam. In dergelijke gevallen worden deze beginselen verkeerd uitgelegd en niet zorgvuldig gehanteerd. De beginselen zelf vormen niet het probleem.
De islam roept zijn aanhangers niet alleen op om in overheidszaken te participeren, maar ook om minderheden te respecteren en hun rechten te beschermen. De islam spoort mensen aan kennis te nemen van de cultuur van anderen en met hen een relatie van geven en nemen te ontwikkelen. Het doet mij groot genoegen dat veel van mijn Europese vrienden op de hoogte zijn van dit aspect van de islam en veel weten over de geschiedenis van hun buren. Daaruit blijkt dat zij een vruchtbare relatie en dialoog met hun buren willen aangaan.
Ik wil graag even vermelden dat de Arabieren de brug vormden waarover de Griekse beschaving naar Europa kon oversteken, en wel via de vertaling van Griekse werken in het Arabisch. Op die manier konden Europese intellectuelen kennisnemen van het gedachtegoed van talrijke beroemde Griekse filosofen en denkers, waardoor uiteindelijk de renaissance ontstond.
Veel mensen zijn in contact met de islam gekomen en hebben zich uit volle overtuiging en uit vrije wil tot deze godsdienst bekeerd door de interactie en culturele communicatie met moslims. De islam heeft zich langs de weg van de dialoog verspreid en is vanuit de overtuiging van mensen tot bloei gekomen. Nooit is de islam met geweld aan iemand opgelegd. Er zijn mensen die anders beweren, maar zij geven een onjuiste voorstelling van zaken en doen de islam tekort.
Het is nodig hier te beklemtonen hoe belangrijk het is dat de volgelingen van verschillende godsdiensten met elkaar een dialoog voeren, en te werken aan continuïteit tussen deze godsdiensten om elke kunstmatige en nutteloze botsing te vermijden. Helaas zijn er zowel in het oosten als in het westen individuen en groepen die tot een dergelijke confrontatie oproepen. Het gaat hier om onwetende personen die vijandig staan tegenover mensen van een ander ras of met een andere huidskleur. Zij beschouwen de verscheidenheid in de wereld niet als een bron van rijkdom en laten zich niet inspireren door de roep om toenadering en dialoog in deze wereld.
Ik maak van deze gelegenheid gebruik om alle weldenkende, verstandige en eerlijke mensen in zowel het oosten als het westen op te roepen om samen een dam op te werpen tegen dit streven naar verdeeldheid en onverdraagzaamheid, dat de vrede en het respect voor religies en heilige plaatsen in gevaar brengt."@nl3
"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@pl16
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Temos de apelar ao respeito pelas religiões e lugares santos, para que não correm perigo. É igualmente importante cooperar para combater a distorção, causada pela ignorância, pelos agitadores e pelos extremistas, da percepção que cada parte tem da outra. O Estado de Catar envida continuamente esforços neste sentido e é anfitrião de muitos fóruns que visam encorajar ao diálogo entre civilizações, entre eles o Fórum Anual para o Diálogo entre Religiões.
Os assuntos do Médio Oriente sempre tiveram grande importância para a Europa, dada à proximidade geográfica das duas regiões e às suas relações política, económica e cultural, que nunca deixaram de existir ao longo da história. Essa proximidade fá-la, no interesse claro da Europa, apoiar reformas abrangentes nos países do Médio Oriente, e encorajá-los a prosseguirem estas reformas com seriedade, sem virar as costas à democracia e sem abusar do conceito de democracia com palavras ocas. As grandes reformas e a verdadeira democracia são o caminho para um Médio Oriente melhor, permitindo aos seus países experimentarem estabilidade, aos seus cidadãos gozarem de liberdade, às suas instituições tornarem-se mais fortes e aos seus Estados progredirem como um Estado de Direito; um Médio Oriente em que as pessoas disponham de todos os meios básicos, científicos e económicos para tratar como iguais os seus vizinhos e o resto do mundo; ser parceiros deles em vez de se afastar deles.
A este respeito, sabemos, e provavelmente a Europa sabe ainda melhor, que a imigração de, ou através do Médio Oriente, tornou-se um desafio de monta. Muito embora a Europa tenha trabalhado arduamente, durante anos, para dar resposta a este desafio, as soluções com êxito sempre precisaram de ir à raiz do problema e tratar as suas causas, não apenas os seus sintomas. Por conseguinte, quando o processo de reformas for bem sucedido e a cultura de democracia estabilizar no Médio Oriente, e quando os seus povos forem capazes de lutar contra todas as formas de corrupção, muitos daqueles que procuravam uma vida decente fora do seus países deixarão de emigrar, desde que consigam ir ao encontro das suas aspirações nos seus próprios países.
A consolidação da democracia e o estabelecimento da paz no Médio Oriente são objectivos de igual importância. A ausência de democracia e o facto de não se alcançar uma solução justa para o problema da Palestina gerou várias formas de violência, que algumas pessoas consideram como terrorismo, o qual deve ser combatido pelos meios mais severos, sem fazer quaisquer distinções, ou sem considerar meios de remover as causas que o alimentam. Condenamos todas as formas de terrorismo e trabalhamos em conjunto com a comunidade internacional para o combater. Contudo, fazemos questão de diferenciar o terror injustificado infligido a pessoas inocentes sob qualquer pretexto, que deve ser condenado, e o que é o direito legítimo dos povos a resistir à ocupação de acordo com os costumes e o direito internacional.
Entendemos que uma solução justa para o problema da Palestina deverá basear-se na implementação de todas as resoluções internacionais, tanto pelo lado palestiniano, como pelo lado israelita, com o apoio da comunidade internacional a ambas as partes. Esta via evitará a complexidade que as relações entre as duas partes atingiram ultimamente. O Governo palestiniano, constituído pelo movimento Hamas, de acordo com a vontade livre do povo palestiniano expressa nos últimos meses, deve ter a oportunidade de trabalhar para o povo que o elegeu.
Em vez que compensar o povo palestiniano por praticar a democracia – coisa raramente vista na nossa região – eles puniram-na por isso. Não compreendo como é que um embargo pode ser imposto a um governo que foi democraticamente eleito e como é que sanções colectivas podem ser impostas ao povo no seu conjunto, só porque exerceu o seu direito democrático de eleger as pessoas que o irão governar.
Não será uma posição com dois pesos e duas medidas pedir eleições livres e depois fazer objecções aos seus resultados?
A resolução da questão palestiniana está associada à disponibilidade de Israel para cumprir as suas obrigações de implementar as resoluções internacionais, que estipulam a retirada dos territórios árabes ocupados, o estabelecimento de um Estado palestiniano, independente, com a cidade Santa de Jerusalém como sua capital, o fim imediato da destruição das infra-estruturas palestinianas e da morte e tortura de civis, em resultado das quais dezenas de Palestinianos inocentes nos territórios ocupados perderam as vidas, sendo o último exemplo o massacre de Beit Hanoun. Esta é a saída para o impasse em que se encontra a questão palestiniana, pelo que consideramos que a comunidade devia envidar grandes esforços para alcançar uma solução rápida para este problema, pois isso seria benéfico não só para o Médio Oriente como para todo o mundo.
Em nome de Deus, o Clemente, o Misericordioso, Senhor Presidente, Senhoras e Senhores Deputados, gostaria de vos expressar a minha gratidão pelo gentil convite que me endereçaram para falar a este Parlamento, que representa 450 milhões de Europeus e é um dos exemplos mais bem sucedidos de integração regional em todo o mundo. Gostaria também de vos agradecer as calorosas boas-vindas e a generosa e amistosa hospitalidade com que me receberam.
Existe a necessidade de encontrar uma solução abrangente para o conflito Israelo-Árabe. Essa necessidade foi confirmada pela recente guerra destrutiva conduzida por Israel contra o Líbano. Agora que os combates pararam e que as forças da UNIFIL – nas quais Catar decidiu participar – começaram a cumprir as suas missões, esperamos que o Líbano possa exercer a sua soberania em todo o seu território e que Israel respeite essa soberania.
Quanto ao Iraque, esperamos que o país ultrapasse a crise em que se encontra mergulhado, que preserve a sua soberania e a unidade dos seus territórios, e que o povo iraquiano recupere a segurança e a liberdade. Estou confiante em que União Europeia, consciente dos perigos que a situação iraquiana representa para a estabilidade regional no Médio Oriente, redobre os seus esforços para ajudar o Iraque a ultrapassar a situação delicada em que está actualmente.
A estabilidade no Médio Oriente também exige que o Parlamento Europeu prossiga os seus esforços de alcançar uma solução pacífica para o programa nuclear iraniano, que confirme que os seus objectivos serão exclusivamente pacíficos e sob a supervisão da Agência Internacional para a Energia Atómica. Neste momento, gostaríamos de repetir o nosso apelo no sentido de fazer do Médio Oriente uma região livre de armas nucleares e obrigar Israel a assinar o Tratado de Não Proliferação.
Antes de terminar o meu discurso, gostaria de referir a força da relação de cooperação entre a União Europeia e o Estado de Catar em particular, e com o Conselho de Cooperação dos Estados Árabes do Golfo. O Estado de Catar, desde que assinou o Tratado de Cooperação entre os países do Conselho de Cooperação dos Estados Árabes do Golfo e a então CEE em 1989, desenvolveu as suas relações com a União Europeia em vários domínios. Só no domínio da energia, Catar assinou contratos com uma série de países da União Europeia, entre eles Itália, Bélgica, Reino Unido e Espanha, com vista a satisfazer as suas necessidades em termos de gás natural. Também estabelecemos relações de cooperação noutros domínios como por exemplo, cultural, político e económico. O Estado de Catar e a União Europeia poderão assim reforçar mais os seus laços.
Gostaria de vos agradecer mais uma vez, e que a paz e a graça de Deus esteja convosco.
Quando nos dirigimos ao Parlamento Europeu, não se tem outra escolha senão expressar a grande admiração pelo trabalho diligente desenvolvido no continente europeu ao longo de várias décadas. Durante essas décadas, os vossos países, com o poder da razão e força de vontade, foram capazes de esquecer as dolorosas páginas do passado e abrir um novo e promissor capítulo que inclui muitos exemplos de sucesso. O elevado estatuto internacional de que goza actualmente o Parlamento Europeu representa um farol de inspiração que muitos países tentam seguir. Nós, no mundo árabe, temos a experiência da Liga dos Estados Árabes, que nos permite pensar que alcançaremos o que os senhores alcançaram neste continente. Gostaria de salientar que a democracia não é uma mera necessidade de cada Estado no mundo, é, sim, uma condição prévia para se chegar à integração económica regional e para se conseguir a estabilidade das relações internacionais em qualquer região do mundo, na medida em que impede qualquer país de tomar decisões arbitrariamente que cabem a todas as nações, em todos os Estados, tomar.
O Estado de Catar, como bem sabem, escolheu a democracia como meio de proteger os direitos humanos e de conseguir a participação dos cidadãos. A nossa opção pela democracia está de acordo com a nossa obrigação de praticar o princípio de Al-Shura, que constitui uma das regras básicas do Islão, uma regra que não pode ser ignorada e que foi criada para alargar a participação dos povos. Por conseguinte, a democracia não pode limitar-se a alguns, a democracia deve incluir todas as pessoas. Esse princípio não pode ser aplicado selectivamente. É um direito fundamental que não pode ser ignorado ou infringido. Por vezes, a realidade na nossa região mostra uma prática diferente dos princípios do Islão. Esse facto não se deve a um problema com o princípio em si, mas sim a uma interpretação incorrecta e a uma prática errada.
O Islão não encoraja apenas os seus povos a participarem nos assuntos públicos: encoraja-os também a respeitar as minorias e a proteger os seus direitos. Encoraja as pessoas a aprenderem sobre a cultura dos outros, a interagir com eles, numa relação baseada no intercâmbio. Deixou-me muito feliz o facto de muitos dos meus amigos europeus saberem isto acerca do Islão e saberem também muito sobre a história dos seus vizinhos. Fica pois visível que têm um desejo de estabelecer relações e um diálogo profícuo com os seus vizinhos.
Gostaria de mencionar que os Árabes foram a ponte entre a civilização Grega e a Europa, através da tradução das obras gregas em árabe. Muitos pensadores e filósofos gregos famosos foram, dessa forma, transferidos para o intelecto Europeu, o que veio a desencadear o Renascimento.
Muitas pessoas entraram em contacto com o Islão e converteram-se a esta religião com total convicção e aceitação através da interacção com os Muçulmanos e do intercâmbio cultural. O Islão expandiu-se por meio do diálogo e floresceu por convicção. Nunca foi imposto à força a alguém. Há quem diga o contrário, mas essas pessoas estão erradas e foram injustas com o Islão.
É necessário realçar aqui a importância do diálogo entre os seguidores de várias religiões e dos esforços em prol da continuidade entre essas religiões para se poder evitar qualquer choque artificial e inútil. Infelizmente, há indivíduos e grupos, tanto do Oriente como do Ocidente, que apelaram a esse choque. Essas pessoas são ignorantes e tornaram-se os inimigos daqueles que são diferentes deles na raça ou cor. Não viram na diversidade do mundo uma fonte de riqueza e não deram atenção ao apelo à conciliação e diálogo neste mundo.
Aproveito esta oportunidade para apelar a todas pessoas razoáveis, sábias e honestas, quer no Ocidente, quer no Oriente, que se unam para calar esses gritos de divisão e intolerância, que ameaçam a paz e o respeito pelas religiões e lugares santos."@pt17
"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@sk18
"We must call for respect for religions and holy places so as not to endanger them. It is equally important to cooperate in order to fight against the distortion caused by troublemakers, ignorance and extremists, of the perceptions fabricated by each party about the other. The State of Qatar continuously exerts its efforts for this purpose and hosts many fora with the aim of encouraging dialogue between civilisations, amongst them the Annual Forum for Dialogue between Religions.
Middle Eastern affairs have always been of significant importance to Europe, because of the geographical proximity of the two regions and their political, economic and cultural continuity, which has never ceased to exist throughout history. That proximity makes it in the undoubted interest of Europe to support comprehensive reform in the countries of the Middle East, and to encourage them to continue these reforms with seriousness and with no turning back on democracy and without abusing the concept of democracy with empty words. Comprehensive reform and real democracy are the way to a better Middle East, in order that its countries may experience stability, its people may enjoy freedom, its institutions become stronger and its states may progress on the basis of the respect for law; a Middle East whose people have all the basics and scientific and economic means to deal as equals with their neighbours and the rest of the world; to be partners with them and not be alienated from them.
In this respect, we know, and probably Europe knows even better, that immigration from or through the Middle-East has become a huge challenge. Although Europe has worked very hard for years to address this challenge, successful solutions always need to go back to the roots of the problem and to deal with its causes, not only its symptoms. Therefore, when the reform process succeeds and the culture of democracy stabilises in the Middle East, and when its peoples are able to fight all forms of corruption, many of those who were seeking a decent life outside their countries will no longer emigrate, provided they can meet their aspirations in their own countries.
The consolidation of democracy and achieving peace in the Middle East are goals of equal importance. Lack of democracy and not reaching a just solution for the Palestinian problem has produced various forms of violence, which some people consider as terrorism to be fought against with the most severe means, without differentiating between one form or another, or considering ways to remove the causes that nourish it. We denounce all forms of terrorism and work together with the international community to fight it. However, we are keen to differentiate between the unjustified frightening of innocent people under whatever pretext, which is something that should be denounced, and what is the legitimate right of people to resist occupation according to international laws and customs.
We believe that a just solution to the Palestinian question should be based on the implementation of all international resolutions by both the Israeli and the Palestinian side, with the support of the international community to both sides. This will avoid the complexity that the relations between the two sides have reached recently. The Palestinian Government, constituted by the Hamas movement, in accordance with the free will of the Palestinian people in recent months, should have been given the opportunity to work for the people who elected it.
Instead of rewarding the Palestinian people for practicing democracy – something rarely witnessed in our region – they have been punished for it. I do not understand how an embargo can be imposed on a government that has been democratically elected and how collective sanctions can be imposed on the people as a whole, just because it practiced its democratic right to elect the people who will govern it.
Is it not a double standard to demand free elections and then object to their results?
Settling the Palestinian question is linked to the readiness of Israel to fulfil all its obligations by implementing international resolutions, which stipulate the withdrawal from the Arab occupied territories, the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with the Holy City of Jerusalem as its capital, the immediate ending of the destruction of Palestinian infrastructure and the killing and torturing of civilians, as a result of which tens of innocent Palestinians in the occupied territories have lost their lives, the last instance being the massacre of Beit Hanoun. This is the way out for the Palestinian question from the impasse that it has reached, and we think that the international community ought to exert more diligent efforts to reach a quick solution to this problem, because this would be beneficial not only to the Middle East, but to the whole world.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, Mr President, Ladies and Gentlemen, I should like to express my gratitude to you for your kind invitation to me to address your Parliament, which represents 450 million Europeans and is one of the most successful examples of regional integration in the whole world. I would also like to thank you for your hospitality and warm welcome and the friendly feelings that you have shown to me.
There is a need to find a comprehensive settlement to the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was reconfirmed by the recent destructive war waged by Israel against Lebanon. Now that the fighting has stopped and now that the UNIFIL forces – in which Qatar decided to participate – have started to perform their tasks, we hope that Lebanon will be able to exert its sovereignty on the whole of its territory and that Israel will respect that sovereignty.
As for Iraq, we hope that country will overcome the crisis it is in now, that it will preserve its sovereignty and the unity of its territories, and that the Iraqi people will recover security and freedom. I am confident that the European Union, which is aware of the dangers imposed by the Iraqi situation on the regional stability in the Middle East, will redouble its efforts to help Iraq to overcome the dangerous situation it is in now.
Stability in the Middle East also requires that the European Parliament continue its efforts to reach a peaceful solution to the Iranian nuclear programme, which will confirm that its goals will remain solely peaceful and under the supervision of the International Agency for Atomic Energy. Here we would like to repeat our call to make the Middle East a region free of nuclear weapons and to oblige Israel to sign the Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Before I end my speech, I would like to refer to the strength of the cooperation relationship between the European Union and the State of Qatar specifically, and with the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States in general. The State of Qatar, ever since it signed the Cooperation Treaty between the countries of the Cooperation Council of the Arab Gulf States and the then EEC in 1989, has developed its relations with the European Union in various fields. In the field of energy alone, Qatar has signed contracts with a number of countries of the European Union, amongst them Italy, Belgium, Britain and Spain, to provide those countries with their needs in terms of natural gas. We also have cooperation in other fields such as the cultural, political and economic fields. Qatar and the European Union will thus be able to strengthen their ties further.
I would like to thank you once again, and may the peace and grace of God be upon you.
When addressing the European Parliament one has no choice but to express great admiration for the diligent work accomplished on the European continent for many decades. During those decades, your countries, with reason and willpower, have been able to forget the painful pages of the past and to open a new promising chapter that includes many instances of success. The high international status that the European Parliament enjoys today represents a beacon of inspiration which many other countries are trying to emulate. We, in the Arab world, have the experience of the League of Arab States, which makes us hope that we will accomplish what you have accomplished. I would like here to emphasise that democracy is not a mere necessity for every state in the world, but it is a precondition for achieving regional economic integration and for the stability of international relations in any region of the world, because it prevents any one country from arbitrarily making decisions which is up to all nations in all countries to take.
The State of Qatar, as you well know, has chosen democracy as a means to protect human rights and to achieve the participation of the people. Our choice of democracy is in accord with our obligation to practice the principle of Al-Shoura, which is one of the basic rules of Islam, a rule that cannot be disregarded and which was put in place to enlarge the people’s participation. Therefore democracy must not be limited to the few, but should include all people. That principle cannot be applied selectively. It is a fundamental right that cannot be ignored or trespassed. Sometimes the reality in our region shows a practice different from the principles of Islam. That is not due to a problem with the principle itself, but because it is misinterpreted and not accurately practiced.
Islam does not only urge its people to participate in public affairs: it also urges them to respect minorities and to protect their rights. It encourages people to learn about the cultures of others, to interact with them in a relationship of give-and-take. It has pleased me very much that many of my European friends know this about Islam and know a lot about the history of their neighbours. This shows that they have a desire to engage in fruitful relationships and dialogue with their neighbours.
I would like to mention that the Arabs were the bridge on which the Greek civilization crossed to Europe, by the translation of Greek works into Arabic. Many famous Greek philosophers and thinkers were, in that way, transferred to the European intellect and consequently triggered the Renaissance.
Many people came into contact with Islam and converted to this religion with their full conviction and acceptance through interaction with Muslims and cultural communication with them. Islam spread through dialogue and flourished by conviction. It was never imposed by force on anyone. There are those who say otherwise, but those people are wrong and they have wronged Islam.
It is necessary here to emphasise the importance of dialogue between the followers of various religions and to exert efforts for continuity between those religions in order to avoid any artificial and useless clash. Unfortunately, there are individuals and groups from both East and West, who have called for such a clash. Those people are ignorant and have become the enemies of those who are different from them in race or colour. They have not seen in the diversity of the world a source of wealth and they have not heeded the call for rapprochement and dialogue in this world.
I take this opportunity to call upon all reasonable, wise and honest people, both in the East and the West, to stand up together to block those cries for division and intolerance, which threaten peace and the respect for religions and holy places."@sl19
".
Vi måste uppmana till respekt för religioner och heliga platser så att de inte hotas. Det är lika viktigt att vi samarbetar för att bekämpa de vrångbilder som orosstiftare, okunnighet och extremism skapar och de uppfattningar som de olika sidorna fabricerar om varandra. Staten Qatar arbetar ständigt med detta som mål och är värd för många forum med målet att uppmuntra till dialog mellan civilisationer, bland annat det årliga forumet för dialog mellan religioner.
Affärsförbindelserna med Mellanöstern har alltid varit viktiga för Europa, tack vare den geografiska närheten mellan regionerna och deras politiska, ekonomiska och kulturella kontinuitet som aldrig upphört under historiens gång. Närheten gör att Europa onekligen har intresse av att stödja de genomgripande reformerna i länderna i Mellanöstern och uppmuntra dem att fortsätta sina reformer på ett seriöst sätt, utan att vända ryggen mot demokratin eller angripa den med hjälp av tomma ord. Genomgripande reformer och verklig demokrati är vägen till ett bättre Mellanöstern, vilket leder till att dess länder får uppleva stabilitet, dess folk får uppleva frihet, dess institutioner kan stärkas och dess stater kan utvecklas med respekt för lagen som grund. Ett Mellanöstern där människor har alla grundläggande, vetenskapliga och ekonomiska möjligheter att umgås som jämlikar med sina grannar och med resten av världen, att vara deras partner och inte känna sig som främlingar.
Med detta i åtanke vet vi och Europa antagligen bättre än oss att invandringen från och genom Mellanöstern har blivit en stor utmaning. Även om Europa under många år har arbetat hårt med problemet måste man för att uppnå lyckade lösningar gå tillbaka till roten av problemet och ta itu med orsakerna, inte bara symptomen. När väl reformen därför lyckas, den demokratiska kulturen i Mellanöstern stabiliserar sig och människor kan bekämpa alla former av korruption kommer många av dem som sökte ett drägligt liv i andra länder inte längre att emigrera, förutsatt att de kan uppnå sina målsättningar i sina egna länder.
Befästandet av demokratin och skapandet av fred i Mellanöstern är lika viktiga målsättningar. Bristen på demokrati och oförmågan att nå en rättvis lösning på den palestinska frågan har frambringat olika former av våld som av vissa betecknas som terrorism och som måste bekämpas på hårdast tänkbara sätt, utan att skilja på de olika sätten, samtidigt som lösningar övervägs som leder till att man kan utplåna källan till våldet. Vi fördömer alla former av terrorism och arbetar tillsammans med det internationella samfundet för att bekämpa det. Däremot vill vi skilja mellan att skrämma oskyldiga människor under olika förevändningar, något som måste bekämpas, och människors legitima rättighet att motsätta sig ockupation enligt internationella lagar och seder.
Vi tror att en rättvis lösning på den palestinska frågan bör bygga på att både Israel och Palestina uppfyller sina åtaganden och genomför de internationella resolutionerna med ett odelat stöd från det internationella samfundet. Detta gör att man undviker de problem som nyligen uppstått mellan länderna. Den palestinska regeringen, som bildats av Hamas-rörelsen i enlighet med det palestinska folkets fria vilja under de senaste månaderna, borde ha fått möjligheten att arbeta för det folk som valde den.
Istället för att belöna palestinierna för att de utövar sina demokratiska rättigheter, något man inte ofta ser i vår region, har de straffats för det. Jag förstår inte hur man kan införa ett embargo mot en regering som har blivit vald under demokratiska premisser och hur kollektiva sanktioner kan åläggas ett helt folk bara därför att det utövade sin demokratiska rättighet att välja vilka som ska styra det.
Är det inte dubbelmoral att kräva fria val och sedan invända mot resultatet?
I Guds namn, den barmhärtige, den medlidsamme, herr ordförande, damer och herrar! Jag vill uttrycka min tacksamhet för er vänliga inbjudan att få tala inför ert parlament som representerar 450 miljoner européer och är ett av världens mest lyckade exempel på regional integration. Jag vill också tacka för er gästvänlighet, ert varma välkomnande och den vänlighet ni visat mig.
Lösningen av den palestinska frågan är sammankopplad med huruvida Israel är redo att uppfylla sina åtaganden att genomföra de internationella resolutioner som yrkar på ett tillbakadragande från de ockuperade arabiska områdena, grundandet av en fristående palestinsk stat med den heliga staden Jerusalem som huvudstad, att omedelbart upphöra med förstörandet av den palestinska infrastrukturen och dödandet och torterandet av civila vilket lett till att tio oskyldiga palestinier i de ockuperade områdena mist sina liv, senast vid massakern i Beit Hanoun. Detta är den väg som den palestinska frågan måste ta för att komma ur det dödläge som uppstått och vi tror att det internationella samfundet måste anstränga sig ännu mer för att snabbt hitta en lösning på problemet. Det skulle inte bara gynna Mellanöstern, utan hela världen.
Det finns inget behov av att hitta en genomgripande lösning på konflikten mellan arabvärlden och Israel. Detta bekräftades återigen genom det förödande krig som Israel nyligen förde mot Libanon. När nu striderna upphört och styrkorna i FN:s interimstyrka i Libanon (UNIFIL), där Qatar valde att medverka, har börjat utföra sitt arbete hoppas vi att Libanon kommer att tillåtas styra över hela sitt område och att Israel respekterar det.
Vad gäller Irak hoppas vi att landet kommer att kunna lösa den kris det befinner sig i nu, att det kommer att kunna bibehålla styret över och sammanhållningen i dess områden och att det irakiska folket kommer att återfå sin säkerhet och frihet. Jag är övertygad om att EU, väl medvetet om det hot som den irakiska situationen utgör mot den regionala stabiliteten i Mellanöstern, kommer att fördubbla sina ansträngningar och hjälpa Irak att lösa den farliga situation som landet befinner sig i idag.
Stabilitet i Mellanöstern fordrar också att Europaparlamentet fortsätter sina ansträngningar för att uppnå en fredlig lösning av det iranska kärnprogrammet, en lösning som bekräftar att landets målsättningar även i framtiden är fredliga och bevakas av Internationella atomenergiorganet. Vi vill här upprepa vårt krav på att Mellanöstern ska bli en region fri från kärnvapen och att Israel ska underteckna icke-spridningsfördraget.
Innan jag avslutar mitt tal vill jag hänvisa till styrkan i samarbetet mellan EU och Staten Qatar i synnerhet och Gulfstaternas samarbetsråd i allmänhet. Staten Qatar har ända sedan undertecknandet 1989 av samarbetsfördraget mellan länderna i Gulfstaternas samarbetsråd och dåvarande EEG utvecklat sina relationer med EU inom olika områden. Enbart inom energiområdet har Qatar undertecknat avtal med ett antal EU-länder, däribland Italien, Belgien, Storbritannien och Spanien, för att sörja för deras naturgasbehov. Vi har också samarbeten inom andra områden som till exempel kultur, politik och ekonomi. Qatar och EU kommer på så vis att ytterligare kunna stärka sina band.
Jag vill återigen tacka er, må Guds fred och nåd välsigna er.
När man talar inför Europaparlamentet kan man inte undgå att uttrycka stor beundran för det omsorgsfulla arbete som under flera decennier genomförts på den europeiska kontinenten. Under dessa decennier har era länder med förnuft och viljekraft lyckats glömma sin smärtsamma historia och påbörja ett nytt och lovande kapitel med många framgångar. Den höga internationella status som Europaparlamentet idag åtnjuter utgör ett inspirerande exempel som många andra länder försöker efterlikna. Vi i arabvärlden har erfarenheter från Arabförbundet och hoppas med dess hjälp kunna uppnå vad ni har uppnått. Jag vill poängtera att demokrati inte bara är en nödvändighet för alla stater i världen, utan en förutsättning för att kunna uppnå regional ekonomisk integration och för stabiliteten hos de internationella relationerna i alla världens regioner, eftersom demokratin hindrar ett land från att godtyckligt fatta beslut som egentligen tillsammans måste fattas av alla nationer i alla länder.
Staten Qatar har som ni alla vet valt demokrati som ett medel för att skydda de mänskliga rättigheterna och öka folkets medverkan. Vårt val av demokrati är sammankopplat med vår förpliktelse att utöva Al-Shoura. Detta är en av Islams grundläggande regler som inte får förbigås och som infördes för att öka folkets medverkan. Demokratin bör därmed inte begränsas till en minoritet utan omfatta alla människor. Principen får inte appliceras godtyckligt då det handlar om en fundamental rättighet som inte kan ignoreras eller kränkas. Ibland tyder verkligheten i vår region på ett utövande som skiljer sig från Islams principer. Detta beror inte på ett problem med principen i sig utan på att den missförstås och inte utövas på rätt sätt.
Islam uppmanar inte bara människor att delta i offentliga angelägenheter, utan även att respektera minoriteter och att skydda deras rättigheter. Islam uppmuntrar människor att lära sig om andra människors kulturer, att interagera med dem och ingå ömsesidiga relationer. Jag är mycket glad över att flera av mina europeiska vänner vet detta om Islam och känner till sina grannländers historia väl. Det visar att de är villiga att engagera sig i givande relationer och dialoger med sina grannländer.
Jag vill gärna nämna att araberna utgjorde den brygga som förde den grekiska civilisationen till Europa genom sitt arbete med att översätta grekiska verk till arabiska. Många kända grekiska filosofer och tänkare förenades med det europeiska intellektet och utlöste på så vis renässansen.
Många kom i kontakt med och konverterade till Islam med full övertygelse och acceptans genom sin interaktion med muslimer och det kulturella utbytet med dem. Islam spreds via dialog och blomstrade genom övertygelse. Ingen blev påtvingad religionen. Det finns de som hävdar motsatsen, men de har fel och har missuppfattat Islam.
Det är viktigt att poängtera vikten av en aktiv dialog mellan människor av olika trosriktningar och ansträngningar för kontinuitet mellan dem för att undvika konstruerade och onödiga konflikter. Tyvärr finns det människor och grupper både i öst och i väst som söker sådana konflikter, okunniga människor som har blivit fiender med dem som inte är av samma ras eller har samma hudfärg. De inser inte att mångfalden i världen är en rik källa och de tar inte hänsyn till uppmaningen att återuppta de vänskapliga förbindelserna och dialogen i världen.
Jag vill ta tillfället i akt att uppmana alla förnuftiga, visa och ärliga människor både i öst och i väst att tillsammans ställa sig upp och hindra de rop på splittring och intolerans som hotar freden och respekten för religioner och heliga platser."@sv21
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"(Aplausos)"20,17
"(Applause)"5,19,15,1,18,14,16,11,13,13,4
"(Salen rejste sig og gav taleren en stående ovation)"2
"(The House rose and accorded the speaker a standing ovation)"5,19,15,1,18,14,16,11,13,4
"Al-Shoura"12
"Emir del Estado de Qatar"20
"Emir des Staates Katar"9
"Emir do Estado do Qatar"17
"Emir of the State of Qatar"5,19,15,1,18,14,11,16,13,4
"Forum"12
"Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani,"7
"Hamas"12
"Hans Kungliga Majestät Schejk Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani,"21
"His Royal Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani,"5,19,15,1,18,14,16,11,13,4
"Qatarin valtion emiirin šeikki"7
"Seine Königliche Hoheit Scheich Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani,"9
"Son Altesse Sérénissime Cheikh Hamad Ben Khalifa Al-Thani,"8
"Staten Qatars emir"21
"Su Alteza Real el Jeque Hamad Bin Jalifa al Zani,"20
"Sua Alteza Real Xeque Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani,"17
"forum"12
"islam"12
"status"12
"Émir de l’État du Qatar"8
"Αυτού Υψηλότητα Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani,"10
"εμίρης του κράτους του Κατάρ"10
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Named graphs describing this resource:
The resource appears as object in 2 triples