June 3, 2005

AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE WORLD ECONOMIC FORUM KING ABDULLAH II: MIDDLE EAST PROGRESS STARTS HERE, AT HOME AND IT HAS ALREADY BEGUN. DONOR COUNTRIES DECIDE TO FINANCE A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE BAHRAIN CHANNEL. THE FORUM CONCENTRATES ON PEACE, RESOLVING THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE, STABILITY IN IRAQ, DEVELOPMENT AND REFORMS. King Abdullah II stressed that positive changes demands a process- a systematic approach that can change hopes into reality. It must reflect the needs and concerns of our people. "We must act: to cultivate good governance and human rights. To create economies that deliver opportunities, economies that encourage trade, investment, and innovation. We work to create an Arab education decade of world class quality, and to achieve peace with justice to our region", King Abdullah said at the closing session of the World Economic Forum(WEF). King Abdullah told participants that real reform must come from inside the region, from stakeholders-the Arab people themselves. You have delivered a vital message to world leaders: Middle East progress starts here, at home and it has already begun. "Our future depends on a just resolution for the Israeli-Arab conflict..... a viable Palestinian state, beside a secure Israel", King Abdullah reiterated. On Iraq, King Abdullah underscored that we were honored to have a distinguished delegation from Iraq. I hope they will take a message home: the Arab World stands together in supporting Iraq's sovereignty, unity, and prosperity, and the right of all Iraqis to live in peace and security. The King expressed hope that all hostages in Iraq will be released, including Florence Aubenas of France Following is the full text of King's remarks: Thank you, Professor Schwab. Hamad, thank you for this important document. I pledge to you, that we will keep faith with Arab youth and your hopes for the future. My friends- Positive chance demands a process - a systematic approach that can turn hope into reality. It must reflect the needs and concerns of our people: youth, who want to fulfill their potential ... elders, who help us see what is right ... and achievers, like you, with the proven ability to a job done. This year's Forum builds upon input from all these. It targeted the most important concerns of our people - opportunity, security, freedom. That's backed up by the important opinion survey reported at this Forum. It tells us people want to move forward, they want meaningful reform, they want to see a tangible difference in their lives. We must listen to their voices. And we must act : To cultivate good governance and human rights. To create economies that deliver opportunity, economies that encourage trade, investment, and innovation. To create an " Arab education decade" of world-class quality. To bring peace, with justice, to our region. Your support has brought this reality one step closer. You have carried regional development forward, by giving us a specific, clear process that can succeed. And you have demonstrated the strength of the partnership for reform. As you know, there has been an international spotlight on the question of Middle East reform. There are many voices and many views. But friends of the Arab World understand that real reform must come from inside the region, from the stakeholders - the Arab people themselves. And you've delivered a vital message to world leaders: Middle East progress starts here, at home ... and it has already begun. At this Forum, you have also articulated a vision of peace and security. We were honored to have high-level representation, both business and political, from Palestine and Israel. This Forum has highlighted the core reality for our entire region: our future depends on a just resolution of this conflict - a viable Palestinian state, beside a secure Israel. We were also honored to have a distinguished delegation from Iraq. I hope they will take a message home : the Arab World stands together in supporting Iraq's sovereignty, unity and prosperity, and the right of all Iraqis to live in peace and security. May I also use this opportunity to express our wish for the release of all hostages, including Florence Aubenas of France and others. The entire world has a stake in Middle East peace and development. Professor Schwab, let me thank you, your team, and our many friends here from outside the region. Your support tells us that we are not alone. And your partnership is vital for the open, stable, prosperous world we all seek. The process has begun. Now it is time to go forward. In the days ahead, I ask you to make your efforts here part of a continuing process of dialogue and action. You - and other forward-looking people in our region - are truly the engine of change. As my father showed me many times, every flight begins with a flight plan. My friends, thanks to you and many others, we have our flight plan. The Arab World is ready to take off. And together, we will reach our destination. Thank you very much. On the other hand Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority as the beneficiary parties have agreed to cooperate to address this pressing issue. With the assistance of the World Bank, terms of reference have been agreed for a feasibility study to investigate the impacts of water conveyance from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea. Minister of Water and Irrigation Raed Abu So'oud, Israeli Minister of Infrastructure Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, and Palestinian Minister of Planning Ghassan Al Khateb commended the agreement deem to be an indicator for clear cooperation in the region. The three ministers' remarks came during a special session for saving the Dead Sea during WEF at the Dead Sea. Founder of the World Economic Forum Klaus Schwab announced that the World Economic Forum WEF, will be held in Sharm El Sheikh in 2006 and at the Dead Sea in 2007. Deliberations of the World Economic Forum, attended by about 1000 figures from 53 countries, continued at the Dead Sea shores on. Two parallel sessions on the Barcelona Process and the European neighborhood Policy were held. In the first session on the Barcelona Process, which was launched in 1995 to establish a partnership between Europe and the states of the southern Mediterranean, participants agreed that this process was beneficial and important, although aspirations and hopes were bigger than that. The participants, who included Minister of Finance Dr. Basem Awadallah, Advisor to the King of Morocco Andrea Azolai, the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry Rashid Rashid, Speaker of the European Parliament Joseph Fontelles and Head of the World Student Research Center in France Alan Daichov, agreed that this process was still alive, but views on contributions it made in the political, economic and cultural aspects were different. Awadallah affirmed that Jordan views the Barcelona Process as a one that is still alive and beneficial, and that Jordan is looking forward to economic benefits. The minister added that Jordan's exports to the European Union is not encouraging, noting that it does not exceed $70 million annually. "We received aid from the European Investment Bank, but we need additional guarantees to receive more," he said. Advisor to the King of Morocco for his part said that the process is still alive and important for our region. "This process was a major stimulus for the reform process in our countries," he added. The Egyptian Minister of Foreign Trade and Industry said that the integration process, on which the Barcelona Process was based, did not take place, noting that the economic aspect was moving faster than the political and cultural ones. The World Economic Forum, hosted US First Lady Laura Bush to talk about human and woman rights, especially in education. Schwab, who presented Laura Bush, said that the presence of US First Lady here stresses the supportive role the US and other countries should play to help the region in facing the challenges of the new century. Laura Bush focused, in her message to the Forum, on the necessity of the equal education for boys and girls, thanking Their Majesties King Abdullah II and Queen Rania Al Abdullah for their interest in providing a better future for children through developing education in Jordan. US First Lady reiterated that the world witnesses a new age that calls for freedom, democracy, respecting human life, freedom of worship and tolerance. Laura Bush added that her country is working with the UN and the G-8 to spread education and fight illiteracy in the world by the year 2015. King Abdullah II said, during his participation in Arab Civil Societies Session within the activities of the World Economic Forum WEF that political and economic reform process in the Middle East demands all efforts to help launching it. ''I appreciate your participation and I look forward to hear your discussions on the way of starting reform process which we all in the Arab societies look forward to'' King Abdullah added. The King stressed the role of media in contributing to make the reform process a success, noting to the discussions on the 2010 vision and people way of thinking toward it. ''We need the support of the Arab media to spread the message of development the Middle East needs'' King Abdullah said. Participants reiterated the role of media in helping for change, calling to involve it in the reform process actively with a view to enable it to spread concepts of reform for people. They also pointed to the importance of education and the necessity of supporting its supervisors and acknowledge them with the concepts of reform and its relation to the national agenda in the countries that set these agendas. Participants also stressed the necessity of directing businesses and efforts of private sector to contribute in the efforts of reform through attracting investments and providing job opportunities. Decision makers and senior Arab officials taking part in the World Economic Forum 3rd meeting at the Dead Sea resort Saturday launched their initiative to establish an Executive Council for Micro Credit Financing in the Middle East and North Africa chaired by Queen Rania Al Abdullah. The initiative, the first of its kind, includes bylaws of the council and the establishment of a regional office in Amman to offer technical support and improve services relevant to micro credit financing. According decision makers the initiative was made on the right time as 50 million jobs are needed in the Arab world during the five coming years. During the first meeting of the council, Queen Rania called upon financial organizations to back up micro credits in the region being one of the modern sectors that aims to assist poor families and needy groups to unleash their potentials and start their own projects. Queen Rania, who is member of the World Economic Forum, outlined Jordan's efforts to develop this sector noting the government's five-year plan designed to develop awareness on the the advantages of micro credits. Media leaders approved, with the participation of Queen Rania Al Abdullah, the establishment of an Arab media network for humanitarian development with a view to develop societies and spread culture that empowers Arab women. During the meeting of the Advisory Board of the Arab Women Media Campaign, which was chaired by Queen Rania Al Abdullah, participants outlined the project's achievements as well as its future vision. The Queen noted that media is the tool that can achieve the desired change. She also pointed that development and reform should come from within societies. The project aims at activating the role of media in serving women's issue. Jordan's accomplishments in e-learning and the country's effort to equip the young with state-of-the-art technology to qualify them for the future was the main topic of discussion during a visit by Queen Rania Al Abdullah to Sweifeyeh Girls Secondary School accompanied U.S. First Lady Laura Bush. The school is one of the pioneering Jordanian schools in applying computerized teaching methods and programs. During the visit, Queen Rania and Mrs. Bush attended a third grade teaching lesson in which computer technologies were applied and they also toured the school's computer lab where they listened to a briefing by Minister of Education and Higher Education Khaled Tuqan on Jordan's "education initiative" and the pioneering schools in Jordan which represent a modern model of the educational system in Jordan. Queen Rania Al Abdullah underlined the importance of education as a significant tool to transform challenges into opportunities. Queen Rania was speaking at the closing session of a ministerial meeting on education reforms in the Middle East and North Africa held on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum 3rd meeting at the Dead Sea resort. When we look at the population situation in our region where the youth group under 30 form 70 per cent together with the need for 50 million jobs in the five years to come, we realize how much important is the focus on education as an essential tool in the strategic planning to transform this challenge into an opportunity," Queen Rania said. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that ''Our participation in the World Economic Forum WEF for this year is different from the last year, due to the presence of president of the Iraqi National Assembly which is elected by Iraqi people''. ''The existence of new developments and an elected Iraqi government protect us from attacks we faced in the past'', Zebari said, in a press conference on the sidelines of the forum. Zebari added that the current stage Iraq is going through is transitional, noting that there will be a national dialogue on the each item of the constitution through media and holding seminars to guarantee the Iraqi harmony through the participation of all Iraqis. Zebari noted that the issue of Ahmad Chalabi was discussed and that King Abdullah II and the Jordanian government were asked to find suitable solution for this issue, with a view not to make it a barrier in the pace of Jordanian-Iraqi ties. Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said that Iraq benefits from the meetings of the World Economic Forum to clarify the true image of Arab and international public opinion and familiarize the world with the march of the political process in Iraq as well as steps achieved in this regard. Zebari noted, in press statements, on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum WEF, that the Iraqi side will raise, during the forum, a number of issues on the political and security situations in Iraq ''We have some clear demands from our neighbouring countries, most notably the issue of controlling boarders and fighting terrorist networks'' Zebari said. He also expressed hope that the Iraqi embassy would be opened in Riyadh and the consulate in Jeddah '' I expect that there will be mutual visits between Iraq and Saudi Arabia with a view to promote bilateral ties''. The Iraqi top diplomat revealed that an international conference on Iraq will be held in Brussels in the near future with the participation of Iraq, USA, Europe as well as other international countries and institutions. On the other hand, the Iraqi official said that the previous agreement between Jordan and Iraq on oil are still existed pointing that the recent visit of Iraqi president to Jordan contributed to activating bilateral ties at all levels. Iraqi politicians, currently participating in the World Economic Forum, stressed on Friday the vital role of the international community in achieving stability in Iraq. President of the Iraqi National Assembly Hajem Hassani said that elections, which were held recently in Iraq, is deemed a democratic indicator, stressing the importance of the participation of all segments of the Iraqi people in the political process. On the other hand, the UN envoy to Iraqi Lakhdar Brahimi underlined the importance of formulating the Iraqi constitution. '' The UN plays a role in helping the Iraqis to formulate their own constitution,'' he added. The Arab Business Council and G-8 have announced the formation of a working team specialized in investment to establish a forum confined with discussion and analysis on impediments hampered investment in the Arab world. Arab Business Council Chairman Shafiq Jaber told reporters on Sunday that this the fourth initiative the Council announced on today it was preceded by other initiatives in field of education and illiteracy and media."The team will cooperate with governments and government forums as Middle East and North Africa(MENA) and G-8 to discuss reforms related to investment", Jaber noted. US Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said that the United States seeks to calm down situations in Gaza to ensure the success of the Israeli withdrawal from it. The US official's statements came after talks with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei in the Movenpick Resort on the Dead Sea shores. Qurei said that the meeting was constructive and comprehensive and covered the peace process, withdrawal from Gaza, security and reform in the Palestinian National Authority PNA. Talks also touched on the expected visit of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to Washington. It was announced on the sideline of the economic forum in Jordan, an official agreement was finalized on May 9th on the feasibility study for the project to construct "Bahrain channel " which would link the Red Sea to the Dead Sea in order to avoid the Dead Sea becoming a dry lake as it continuously loose water. Speaker of the European Parliament Josep Borrell Fontelles said there is an intention to hold the Euro-Mediterranean parliamentary session next November in Jericho to support the Palestinians and the peace process. "To meet, as a political party, in the Palestinian territories is very important," Fontelles said during a press conference, adding that Parliament members of the new EU countries will touch the importance of supporting the project of reviving the Dead Sea through the Red Sea- Dead Sea Canal, and also will look into the peace process and its developments. He pointed that the decision of the Red Sea- Dead Sea Canal, will be taken within the coming few days, affirming that the Palestinians and the Israeli Deputy Prime Minister greeted the idea. Fontelles also said that he asked King Abdullah II for his support on the idea as it is hard to gather almost 400 parliamentary members from 35 countries to cross the bridge heading Jericho without the help of Jordan. Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said that he would like the Israeli people to carefully examine the Saudi initiative for normalization of relations with Arab states because "the Arab people do want peace." Moussa's message came at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Jordan following a sharp debate on the importance of the Palestinian issue in the Arab world. Moussa said: "I would tell the Israeli people to reread the Arab Peace Initiative of Beirut. Read it line by line. And don't let anybody tell you what is in it. The Arab people do want peace." Israel has repeatedly rejected the initiative, which calls for a full Israeli withdrawal from all territories occupied in 1967 in exchange for diplomatic relations. Only a few hours earlier, an eight-person panel turned into an acrimonious two-person debate between Moussa and Cheney, which highlighted the different perspectives that remain between the US administration and many in the Arab world over the relationship between political reform and a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Moussa told participants at the annual regional forum among whom were both Arab and Western economic and political leaders that the question of democracy and reforms in the Arab world was important, but the Palestinian question would continue to dominate the scene. US First Lady Laura Bush and US Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick spoke at the forum of "a spring in the Middle East," and praised recent democratic reforms in the region for which they gave President George W. Bush much credit. Moussa, however, did not agree with their assessment. "There will be no spring or autumn or winter or summer without solving [the Palestinian] problem," said Moussa. "We want our friends in the United States to know that this is the consensus in this region. We are not going to change our minds, because this is a case of justice denied to people." Moussa went on to say, "We are not saying reform must stop and wait till we solve the Palestinian question... Now we are talking about freedom, part of the freedom is the freedom of people. Part of the rights are the rights of people and part of the rights is the self-determination of people. We don't want a double standard and I believe that Liz Cheney will hear that from each and every Arab official she is going to meet. The Palestinian question is a sine qua non for security and stability in the Middle East." King Abdullah II stressed that Jordan is already deeply engaged in the process of reform, pointing that our objective is a future that will meet the aspirations of our people. '' In the economy, we have spurred growth and effective development. In the political sphere, we are embedding the values of good governance, human rights and the rule of law,'' King Abdullah noted in the opening session of the World Economic Forum at King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Center on the shores of the Dead Sea. The King pointed that this Forum must face the realities of peace and conflict. Regional instability remains a major barrier to sustainable development and prosperity. '' Failing to solve this issue is simply not an action,'' the King said. Following is the full text of King's remarks: Thank you Professor Schwab and thank you all. You are this Forum, and once again, you make it an outstanding event. Professor Schwab, may I say on behalf of everyone here, thank you for believing in our region and people. You have always said that dialogue is the door to the future. And you have helped open that door for all of us. Rania and I, and the people of Jordan, are honored to have you among us again. Friends, Two years ago, in this place, we set out to create a new future of promise for the Middle East, Last year, we carried that effort forward, reaching out to leaders from all sectors- public, private, and civil society. Now, we meet again, to build on that progress and what we achieve here, can bring benefits to our entire region. It is... truly... time to '' seize the moment.'' Never has there been greater opportunity for progress. Never has there been a greater sense of agreement that the future is in our hands. Today, positive change is in the air across the region. And many of you have played a leading role. Success begins with an optimizing vision: what the Middle East can be, and must be, to meet the needs of our people: A region of peace and stability. Opportunity- rich. With governments that empower and serve. A strong society that draws on its positive Islamic heritage and faith. A global pace- setter in economic life. This is a future worthy of all our citizens. But it is especially important for our young people. Arab youth need and deserve a world where they can reach their potential- be full partners in global advancement- and build a secure future, for themselves and their families. My friends, these are not small goals. To achieve them, we need a winning strategy. Vision must be translated into concrete action. You- who have succeeded at the highest levels in business and in civic action- you know what this requires. Unified action. Clear and definite goals. Programs that focus on results. And standards and timetables to keep us moving forward. These are all elements of a critical initiative, begun right here last year. '' Vision 2010 for the Arab World'' was developed by leaders from the private sector and civil society. Together, they identified goals for our region, goals reflecting our own people's interests and values. The Arab public was surveyed to get their views and concerns. A practical plan was developed, ensuring progress can be benchmarked, monitored, and assessed. The reforms are comprehensive- including good government, education, economic growth, and more. And there's an explicit time- frame- the year 2010- for realistic and meaningful action. Vision 2010 is no academic exercise. It is an effort to the whole Middle East to create its own positive change. That demands a real- world process: specific steps, that can be implemented by regional government and civil society. Now, it is up to you. Over the next days, there will be panel sessions where you discuss what is needed. Your action can have a huge impact. In the region, you will help forge consensus on specific reforms. On the global scene, you will be encouraging support for the Arab world's initiatives. This is especially important in view of the next G-8 Summit, which will take place in less than two months. It is expected to issue a statement supporting home- grown Middle East reform, a statement that can be an important bridge between Arab and Western views. Let me say, Jordan itself is already deeply engaged in the process of reform. Our objective is a future that will meet the aspirations of our people. And we have taken bold action. In the economy, we have spurred growth and effective development. In the political sphere, we are embedding the values of good governance, human rights and the rule of law. We know that effective reform must be an ongoing and inclusive process. So we have created a non- partisan National Agenda Committee, with leaders from across society. It is defining national priorities in all fields- political, economic and social. Those priorities, that people's priorities, will be guidelines for the government's reform agenda over the next ten years. We are also working to vest real decision- making power with citizens themselves. Local legislative councils will help regions set their own development priorities. All these are significant steps in giving people a stake in reform and the great future it will deliver. This Forum must also face the realities of peace and conflict. Regional instability remains a major barrier to sustainable development and prosperity. Failing to solve this issue is simply not an option. Yes, there are deep challenges. But there are also significant opportunities. This year has already seen Palestinians and Israelis re-commit to move forward in the peace process. Another positive signal is the recent agreement on the Red Sea-Dead Sea Canal-the ''Peace Conduit'' Jordan worked with both sides on this project, which will enhance water and energy security, and protect the environment for all. We must ensure that this and other practical projects come off the drawing board. And we must marshal every effort to bring peace to the region as a whole. There must be a lasting, just solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: tow states, living beside each others in peace and security. And we must support a stable unified Iraq- helping its people as they build a dynamic economy and an inclusive society. Friends, Two days ago, I was pleased to open the historic Petra conference of Noble Laureates. These outstanding thinkers brought a fresh perspective to today's urgent problems. Later today, the meeting's co-host, Noble Laureate Elie Wiesel, will tell you about their work. One important result, I hope, will be to inspect all people to reject limits on their vision for the future. And no vision is more important than yours. Business experts say that when a company needs to adjust to new challenges, the most effective leaders may already be inside the company... they are the inside visionaries: the people who can see a positive future - and how to make it real. They have a level of insight and a commitment that just can't come from outsider. They all call these visionaries ''change agents''. Well, my friends, you are the change agents for our region. Your vision, your drive, your expertise, can make our best possibilities real. In the next few days, I encourage you to share your ideas boldly. I challenge you to come up with a process to make those ideas reality. And I ask you to seize the moment- to go forward together, to make a difference, to create a new future for all. Thank you very much.