His Excellency the Foreign Minister: In the beginning, the agreement promotes the field of culture in the field of tourism, and also in the field of youth and all activities. The agreement was signed to develop projects between the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, and we look forward to knowing the impact of this committee on the citizen and on the level of aspirations between the two brothers, to strengthen and secure these instruments. Of course, I would like to renew my thanks to His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, for this generous visit, which counts as one of the opportunities to discuss with my brother Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed all issues that concern the two countries these days. We look forward to repeating these brotherly meetings. My brother Sheikh Abdullah, we renew our thanks to all our brothers from the brotherly United Arab Emirates, and my colleagues from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other Ministries of Finance in the State of Qatar for their efforts and we look forward to them working together, in order to see the results of this agreement in reality. Thank you, Your Highness.
Emirati Foreign Minister: Thank you Sheikh Mohammed, I am very happy to be visiting Doha, and today I have the honor of presenting greetings from His Highness Sheikh Khalifa to His Highness Sheikh Tamim, and the keenness of the two countries to continue working together to develop and nurture the relationship between the two countries. Yesterday, we had the opportunity to talk just as we had the opportunity today to talk. The relationship between the two countries is undoubtedly historic, but it is also a relationship that connects two peoples with two countries. We need to work together to move it towards a more solid and more deeper future. Today, during our meeting with His Highness Sheikh Tamim, one of the issues that I had the honor of listening to of the guidance of His Highness, is cooperation in the field of renewable energy. I think this aspect will have the support of both countries, and there is big potential to develop this fields between the two countries, especially in light of the low cost of renewable energy and the emergence of new innovations. But, I would like to use this example, because this example shows the extent of potential to diversify the relationship between the two countries. Today, there were a group of agreements and memorandums that my brother Sheikh Mohammed mentioned that were signed today, but we have to work on how to take advantage of previous or new legal frameworks, to work together towards better opportunities for the people of the two countries. My brother Sheikh Mohammed, I would like to thank you for the hospitality and for the personal generosity for me and for the members of the delegation, and for everything the State of Qatar provides, whether through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or all governmental and private institutions for the success of the sixth session. I hope we will continue to work together for a beneficial relationship, a developed relationship, a relationship in which we explore benefits for the two countries on the regional and international levels.
And now, we will open the door for questions from journalists and writers.
Question: In the name of God, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. Abdulkader Moussa, Qatar News Agency: Many agreements were signed today in the fields of investment and renewable energy, and many of the matters that concern the two countries on a regional level. Did the discussions also touch upon foreign issues at the regional or Arab level that concern the two countries, and which require coordination from them both. Thank you very much.
His Excellency the Foreign Minister: Of course it was part of the dialogue which was held at the joint committee, there was political dialogue relating to exchanging points of view on all issues that surround us all in the region, and there were also explorations regarding our relationship in international organizations, and to continue to exchange support between the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates in all international forums, and which are considered routine discussions for us as a strong relationship that binds us to the United Arab Emirates. The matter of supporting international forums is one of the issues, and our discussion of regional issues was more profound with industry meetings that joined me with my brother His Highness Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, and there are many challenges surrounding us in the region during these days. As I mentioned before, points of view were exchanged regarding them.
Emirati Foreign Minister: It is always important for us to make sure that the fields of cooperation and communication between us and the brothers in Qatar are continuous. Three days ago, my brother Sheikh Mohammed was in the Emirates, and we are always in communication, whether it is bilateral or between our institutions, regarding exchanging points of view and looking at the challenges of the region, the challenges of the region cannot be separated from the challenges that we face, and therefore that is why we worked together through the Gulf Cooperation Council. Our work through the Arab League represents great importance, because there is a bigger potential of setting the challenges, and to succeed through them before the challenges come to us directly.
Question: Peace be upon you. Ismael Taleii, from Al-Arab Newspaper. Your Excellency, the Emirati Foreign Minister, you talked during your discussions, and you extended your thanks to the State of Qatar for its support for the candidates of the United Arab Emirates. My question: Is there UAE support for the candidate of the State of Qatar, specifically the candidate of the State of Qatar for the UNESCO organization? My second question: Can His Excellency the Foreign Minister specifically invite the State of Qatar to convene an emergency summit on the level of all Arab nations regarding the issue of Syria. Has there been growing coordination between the two countries to lend a strong push to end the crisis, which has gone on for too long, especially after the recent massacres we witnessed in Aleppo?
Emirati Foreign Minister: Of course regarding the matter of the candidates, the exchange of support between our brothers in Qatar was on the bilateral level or through the decisions of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which concerns Qatar's candidate for the President of UNESCO, there is a decision from the Gulf Cooperation Council at the level of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs to support the Qatari candidate, that support is present. Of course with regards to the events occurring in Syria, and specifically the unfortunate events in Aleppo, national statements were released from our dignified country, and a statement was also released from the Gulf Cooperation Council, but it is clear that the difficult crisis cannot be resolved by statements only, and there must be movement, especially at the level of the United Nations Security Council to end this tragic situation. The Syrian issue has been going on for a five year period of tragedy and destruction, serious work is needed whether by the Vienna group, or by the Security Council before they come to a stage where they know they can't end challenges that we face in the region, which is related to terrorism, without resolving the political causes whether in Damascus or Baghdad.
His Excellency the Foreign Minister: If you will allow me Your Highness. In the beginning, I would like to clarify that the State of Qatar's invitation to the meeting of the Arab League is not an invitation for a summit, it was a meeting of the Arab League at the delegates level, and of course there was coordination before the request, through our permanent representative in Cairo with his brotherly representatives at the Gulf Cooperation Council. As soon as the application was filed, there was immediate support (Saudi-Emirati-Bahraini-Kuwaiti) for this request. Of course with regards to what is happening in Syria and especially the latest crimes that were committed in Aleppo against civilians, it is up to us as a moral and humanitarian requirement to take a stand, but as my brother His Highness Sheikh Abdullah mentioned, denunciations and statements aren't enough to end a crisis like this, and the meetings themselves aren't enough to end a crisis like this, and we are sorry that the Arab League isn't enough to end a crisis like this, but they are the means available at the moment. The goal from the committee meeting is to coordinate a joint Arab position to move ahead, through the Arab League at the United Nations and to move in the Security Council, in order to take measures that would contribute to resolving this conflict and escalation that was caused by the Syrian regime during this recent period.
Question: Peace be upon you. Anwar Al-Khatib from Al-Araby Al-Jadeed, I have two questions. The first question : Is there now Qatari-Emirati coordination in the matter of the Libyan file? It was said: There is an exchange of views on the Libyan issue specifically, and now Doha is hosting reconciliation meetings for the tribes, as part of its intervention in the Libyan issue and trying to reconcile the differing views. The second story: Did you really, through His Excellency the Minister, communicate with a number of Foreign Ministers about the issue of Syria? Is there information that we are talking about that there was an international decision that was taken to end the Libyan revolution, meaning leaving matters as they are with the end of the Libyan revolution, is that done through your communication or did you take this impression, is there really a decision to completely end the Libyan revolution?
His Excellency the Foreign Minister: Thank you, my dear brother. Of course first of all, with regards to Qatari-Emirati coordination concerning the Libyan file, many have talked about differences in assessments of the scene in Libya, but there was continuous communication with the brothers in the UAE, there was coordination with some movements, whether we agreed or differed, we all agree on the unity and stability of Libya, and this is the vision that drew together the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, to work to support the stability and momentum in the political process of the diaspora. With regards to the question you asked, that there is an international decision to end the Libyan revolution. The Libyan revolution is a popular revolution that occurred in 2011, and there were consequences to this revolution, and that is normal when it comes to popular revolutions. Of course what happened in terms of escalation and crises and other things, there are divisions among the Libyans themselves. We in the State of Qatar are among the states which have relationships with the Libyan state, we seek to invest in these relationships for the benefit of stability and to spread stability there in Libya. Of course, I missed the meetings held in Doha, for Libyan interests, they are general interests and not political interests, and Qatar is merely a facilitator for these meetings, and it hosts these meetings, because of the situation in Libya and the security issues there. Qatar knew for a long time from hosting these kinds of meetings the importance to mediate between groups, and we saw the necessity to carry out these kinds of meetings, and this is now the second meeting for social reconciliation. Of course, during the first meeting, there were positive results to an extent, and there were more demands during the second meeting thank God, but the Qatari role during these kinds of meetings is merely facilitator, a role of provider of a place and a host for parties. As for the reconciliation dialogue, it is Libyan-Libyan, we have nothing to do with it, there is also continuous communication on all levels. My brother Abdullah and I may not be talking about the Libyan issue specifically in a continues manner, but we discuss various and different matters that concern our region. As for the other levels of the file administrators and others, I assure you that there are permanent and continuous contacts between those responsible for the file of the State of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
Emirati Foreign Minister: I think my brother Sheikh Mohammed covered the issue in a proper way, I would just like to remind the brothers that Qatar and the Emirates are the ones who led the initiative of supporting the Libyan people when they faced Qaddafi, whether it be through the Gulf Cooperation Council or the Arab League, or by requesting the intervention of the Security Council and requesting the protection of the Libyan people. We are the two Arab countries that participated in aerial operations to defend Benghazi, but we entered a complexity stage, we must admit that we got into a problem in Libya, when the international community abandoned the Libyan issue before the situation stabilized in Libya, and unfortunately our Libyan brothers entered the electoral political process at least from our point of view in the Emirates, too soon before the stabilization of matters and before finding sponsoring organizations for the success of the political march in Libya, and of course that is historical now. But there is undoubtedly continuous work between the Emirates and Qatar, to communicate with the various sides in Libya, and to build a more appropriate environment for our brothers in Libya, to work under the umbrella of the Libyan National Reconciliation Government.
We thank their Excellences and distinguished guests.