Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, H E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud and Afghan President Hamid Karzai, addressing the US-Islamic World Forum in Doha, yesterday.
BY MOHAMMAD SHOEB
DOHA: The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs H E Ahmed bin Abdullah Al Mahmoud yesterday said that people in the Islamic world were saddened that the US, with what it represents in the world today, would overlook intervening to end the genocide in Syria.
“The US inaction in protecting the precious lives and human rights abuses of Muslims will have an adverse impact on its relationships with the Islamic world,” he told the opening session of the 10th annual US-Islamic World Forum.
The US position should be similar to what it took in case of Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, he added.
Al Mahmoud also hoped that US Secretary of State John Carry’s efforts will lead to fruitful results, with an amicable solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
He said that the Arab people seek a ‘fairer,’ more ‘equitable’ and ‘consistent’ US position in accordance with its principles and values which oppose the oppression of peoples and human rights violations. “We hope that the US will play a proactive role in immediately stopping ongoing illegal settlements and finding a permanent solution to the conflict while respecting aspirations of Palestinians for an independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital,” he said.
Al Mahmoud also stressed the need to push forward the relationship between the Islamic world and the US and remove related misconceptions and misperceptions.
The opening ceremony and the official dinner were attended by Afghanistan President, Hamid Karzai, Secretary-General of the Organisation of the Islamic Cooperation, Professor Dr Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, US Under-Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Tara D Sonenshine, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Integration, La Francophonie of Benin, among others.
In his speech, Karzai raised pertinent questions on the ‘war on terror’, saying that it had led to a worsening situation in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Mali, Nigeria and other countries by creating more radicals.
“Have we succeeded in the war on terror? Is the war on terror really a war against terrorism, or something else? What is the definition of terrorism? Have they (West) found terrorists in Afghan villages?” Karzai asked.
“There is an increasing view in the Muslim world that the war on terror has created more radicalism among people, pushing the Islamic world into turmoil — from Pakistan to Nigeria,” he said.
“The US has responsibly ended the war in Iraq, and it will also end the war in Afghanistan,” said D Sonenshine in her speech.
“Hard work is required to provide the people of this region (Mena) with a peaceful environment,” she added.
On the Syrian crisis, she said: “The US is working hard to end the war in Syria, and will continue to partner with democratic powers, both inside and outside.”
On the Palestine-Israeli conflict, she said: “We are striving to find a two-state solution to the problem. “We are making steady progress… If we cannot do it now, we will not be successful in the future.”
She also highlighted the need for huge investments in education and other key sectors to generate employment for Arab youth.
“Promoting inclusive growth, women empowerment, religious tolerance and active citizenship for developing leadership is very crucial to ensuring peace and dignified life in the region,” she stressed.
The three-day event will discuss the changing landscape in Pakistan and Afghanistan and its effect on internal and regional security, challenges of democracy and development.
The forum will also feature a discussion on Syria, its effects on the Middle East and the role of the US and others.
The Peninsula
