Posted on 04/10/2005 1:52:29 PM PDT by thierrya
US-Islamic World Forum set to open in Doha today
Published: Sunday, 10 April, 2005, 11:52 AM Doha Time
Staff Reporter HH THE Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani will inaugurate the US-Islamic World Forum at the Sheraton Doha today.
The international conference will feature some 150 senior political leaders and intellectuals from the United States, and 35 Islamic countries.
Mohamed al-Rumaihi, Assistant for Follow-up Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told reporters yesterday that the three-day event would take up issues related to politics, business, civil society, education and media.
He said that the participants would evaluate American- Islamic relations, the Middle East peace process, good governance and human development.
The Foreign Ministry official said that among the speakers would be the former Malaysian deputy premier, Anwar Ibrahim, and the ex-Sudanese prime minister and foreign ministers of Oman, Bahrain, and the UAE.
Dr Peter W Singer, Director of Brooking Projects on US Policy Towards the Islamic World, said that his institute would co-host the event, seeking to explore how the US can reconcile its goals of defeating terrorism, and reducing the appeal of extremist groups, and its need to build positive relations with the Muslim world.
He said that this year the conference hoped to build on the success of the last year’s meeting. When asked about the inability of former Iraqi prime minister Iyad Allawi to attend the conference, Singer said that no one could expect the participation of the all the invitees.
He said the delegates had different opinions, political, religious and secular.
“No one expects that delegates will reach agreement on vital issues within the three days, but they are going to discuss serious issues,” he said.
Singer said that groups supporting terrorism had not been invited to the forum as violence is against the dialogue sought by the organisers.
I wouldn't attend this thing if they paid the airfare and hotel. Attending a conference with Islamics from 35 countries, all on a fatwah to kill me, isn't good odds. That's like bringing the pigeons to the cat.
I wouldn't attend this thing if they paid the airfare and hotel.
Good!
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