Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani opened Friday at the Doha Ritz Carlton hotel the conference on "democracy and reform in the Arab world."
The Emir delivered an address at the opening session in which he said the countries of the region have lately recognized the need for development and now seem ready more than ever before to have a new "dawn". He added the event would enhances Qatar's conviction that "the civil society organizations in the Arab World deserved getting their full opportunity to shoulder their national responsibilities and actively address the issues that preoccupy our nation."
According to him, the Arab region was in need of an explicit approach "that goes to the core of reality without decoration or falsification but to speak openly and rectify, it has to start with self criticism before putting the blame on others."
"It is no longer acceptable that the conflict with israel or waiting for peace with it to be reached, should be taken as an excuse justifying a slackening in the reform process since this conflict has been going on for a long time and might continue longer." (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
