The Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, affirmed his country’s firm position on sparing the Gulf region and the Middle East in general from the dangers of nuclear armament, and acknowledging the right of the region’s countries to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes in accordance with international rules, stressing the need to resolve disputes in the region through dialogue based on respect for the sovereignty of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and the promotion of common interests.

During his participation in the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development, hosted by the Kingdom in Jeddah, he said: “The dangers facing the Middle East region in light of the tense international situation require finding a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian issue, which occupies a central place for the peoples of our Arab and Islamic world and the forces of peace in the whole world, because it is a just issue with a heavy symbolic weight at the same time. He added that it will remain the most important source of tension and instability unless Israel stops its practices and violations of international law represented in building settlements, changing the character of the city of Jerusalem and continuing to impose the siege on Gaza, which is no longer possible to understand and continue due to the selective policies in implementing the resolutions of international legitimacy, and the preference for policies of force and imposing a fait accompli over the principles of justice and fairness.”.

He expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and the Crown Prince, for hosting this important summit and for the warm welcome and excellent organization that ensured its success.

He said: “This important meeting is being held in light of the challenges facing the world, which put to the test the ability of the international community to strengthen cooperation between countries to find just and realistic solutions to global issues, respecting the values ​​and norms that have settled in the conscience of humanity. Everyone realizes that there is no security, stability, or development in the midst of conflicts, and that the parties to conflicts resorting to the provisions of international law and the Charter of the United Nations spares their peoples and all of humanity many victims and tragedies. However, as is known, international law is customary law that only binds those whose principles or limited capabilities compel them to abide by it. Since the end of the Cold War, countries have been discussing the necessity of having alliances of international powers committed to international law and the Charter of the United Nations, and capable of enforcing their authority in a non-selective manner so that they are not subject to the interests of specific countries or their ideological orientations. The international community has not succeeded in this so far.”.

He added: “Crises and wars in any region affect the entire world. The war in Ukraine has direct and indirect victims. This war has contributed to exacerbating an economic crisis that could lead to humanitarian disasters, especially in the case of developing countries that import food and oil. In this context, the State of Qatar – in addition to its solidarity with the victims and its support for political efforts to end this war – will spare no effort in working with its partners in the region and the world to ensure the continuous flow of energy supplies.”.

The Emir of Qatar stressed the importance of Gulf and Arab relations in general with the United States and the need to maintain and deepen them. The pivotal role of the United States of America in the Middle East and the world is not hidden from anyone, and achieving stability in the Gulf region is necessary not only for it but for the entire international community.

He pointed out that the Arab states, despite their differences, unanimously agreed on an Arab peace initiative expressing their readiness to normalize relations with all of them if Israel agrees to a settlement based on international legitimacy resolutions that stipulate withdrawal to the 1967 borders within the framework of a peace agreement. He noted that it is not right for us to abandon our initiatives simply because Israel rejects them, and it is not permissible for the role of the Arabs to be to propose settlements while Israel's role is to reject them and increase its intransigence whenever the Arabs make concessions. He explained that if Israel has a public opinion, we in the Arab world also have a public opinion, and we look forward to an active role for the United States in calling for serious negotiations to settle the Palestinian issue in accordance with international legitimacy resolutions and the two-state solution principle agreed upon by the international community, so that the intention is not to negotiate for the sake of negotiating, nor to delude ourselves into thinking that there is a peace process underway.

The Emir of the State of Qatar appreciated the truce between the Yemeni parties and the initiative of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to propose it, looking forward to its continuation in order to reach a solution to this crisis in accordance with the Gulf Initiative and its implementation mechanisms, the outcomes of the Yemeni National Dialogue and the Security Council resolutions.

He explained, saying: “We must agree on rules that we all respect so that they guide our work to resolve the crises in Yemen, Libya and other countries, including limiting the tools of violence to the hands of the state, and distinguishing between the consensual system and power-sharing, as power-sharing may go beyond partnership in political representation to dividing the state and its institutions as if they were spoils, so that they are no longer able to carry out their tasks. These principles also serve as a guiding guide in Iraq and Lebanon, which are experiencing crises of another kind.” He then touched on what is happening to Syria, saying that it is not permissible to accept the status quo that means the continuation of the terrible injustice to which the Syrian people are subjected, and to work towards reaching a political solution in accordance with the Geneva (1) resolutions in a way that fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people.

In concluding his speech, Sheikh Tamim emphasized the importance of participating in addressing the challenges facing all of humanity, including the issue of climate change. He expressed his hope that the upcoming United Nations Conference COP27 in the Arab Republic of Egypt would meet the expectations of the international community in this regard, wishing the summit every success.