YouSaid · the spoken record

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani

lines on the record: 87
first: 2013-09-24
most recent: 2017-09-24
sittings or episodes: 4
sources: un-general-debate

Every line below is reproduced as it was said and linked to the record it came from. Nothing here is summarised or generated. Directory · Search · Corrections

“Some armed militias that commit crimes against civilians and public institutions are branded as terrorist, while others perpetrating violence and intimidation against civilians are not deemed terrorists due to considerations related not to the local communities themselves, but to international and regional Powers or to transitional alliances. The rising toll of victims of terrorist operations has necessitated the use of military force to counter this phenomenon. We affirm our commitment to fighting terrorism, but even if the harshest conditions we should not ignore its underlying causes; if we do, the phenomenon will be exacerbated and spread even further. We highlight the fact that there is no faith that preaches terrorism.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Terrorism is rooted in radical ideas that brook no compromise with the actuality of people and their potential; it thrives in an atmosphere of despair and blocked prospects. Terrorism does not emerge in a society where policies guarantee its citizens a life of dignity and freedom. It arises in the shadow of tyranny and feeds on oppression and humiliation, feeds on grudges and hatred born of torture in prison, and exploits the loss of hope of peaceful political action. Moreover, the behaviour of influential Powers in the international community distorts people’s perceptions rather than helping to provide clarifications.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“That is a key component of any genuine settlement, without which there can be neither a permanent settlement nor real solutions. The political forces in our region must pay heed to the thousands of young people who recently took to the streets in more than one Arab country demanding that citizenship be the basis for partnership, and refusing to be represented on a sectarian basis and to accept that sectarian representation may be used to cover up corruption. Nations and peoples face grave political, security and economic challenges from terrorism and its dire consequences. Tensions and conflicts have undoubtedly contributed to the emergence of terrorist organizations. The international community’s failure to address hotbeds of tension and conflict has also contributed to creating an environment that is friendly to terrorist operations.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“With respect to Iraqi, the stability of Iraq requires a general national consensus free from outside interferences and from sectarian and ethnic discrimination. We hope that the Iraqi Government will be able to fulfil the need for concord and reconciliation among the various Iraqi people’s factions. Experience in Iraq and Yemen has proved that the existence of militias operating outside the framework of legitimacy is not only a threat to the State by virtue of its inherent nature and its exclusive right to establish armed forces, but is also tantamount to a dormant civil war that could turn into full-blown domestic strife sooner or later. Any political solution in Iraq, Yemen, Syria or Libya must preclude the existence of militias outside the framework of legitimate State institutions.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It is high time that a meaningful dialogue of this kind be conducted between countries that will always remain neighbours and are not in need of mediation from anyone. We are ready to host such a dialogue in Qatar. We affirm our commitment to Yemen’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty, and we support the legitimacy of the political process and urge its completion in accordance with the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanism, the outcome of the Yemen National Dialogue Conference in January 2014, the Riyadh Declaration of May 2015 and the relevant Security Council resolutions, particularly resolution 2216 (2015). It is unreasonable to set the precedent whereby a major political party accepts the outcome of a national dialogue yet ignores it, seeking instead to impose its own vision and to dominate the entire country by force.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Bilateral relations between Qatar and Iran are developing and evolving steadily on the basis of common interests and good-neighbourliness. There is no dispute concerning bilateral relations between our two countries. There are various creeds and religions in our region, but, in my opinion, there is no Shiite-Sunni conflict, only differences that are triggered by the political interests of countries or the interests of political and social forces that foment internal sectarian prejudices. I believe that existing disputes are political, regional Arab-Iranian differences rather than Sunni-Shiite disputes. These could be resolved through dialogue and by initially agreeing on the rules governing the relationship between Iran and the Gulf States on the basis of the principle of non-interference in internal affairs.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We further wish to see the entire region rendered free of nuclear arms and weapons of mass destruction. In this context, given the strategic importance of the Gulf region, the achievement of stability in the Gulf is essential to the countries of the region and the international community as a whole. In this regard, we emphasize our firm position that the Gulf region must be spared any dangers or threats related to nuclear weapons, and that there must be a recognition of the right of the countries of the region to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, in accordance with the relevant international norms. On this occasion, I wish to reiterate that Iran is an important neighbouring country and that cooperation between it and other countries is in the interest of the region.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“This is having grave consequences for the region and the entire world, even for countries that are not working to expedite a solution because they are neither directly affected by the conflict nor reached by the influx of displaced people. The handling at the international level of nuclear-disarmament issues, which is characterized by shortcomings and double standards, alarms us. Clear evidence of this is the recent failure of the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to render the Middle East a nuclear-free zone; this was disappointing and has undermined the credibility of the Treaty. The agreement between Iran and the P5+1 is a positive and important step. We hope that this nuclear agreement will contribute to the maintenance of security and stability in our region.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“From this rostrum, I call for cooperation aimed at imposing a political solution in Syria that would end the reign of tyranny and replace it with a pluralistic regime based on equal citizenship for all Syrians; defeat radicalism and terrorism and insulate Syria therefrom; repatriate the displaced to their homes; and allow for the reconstruction of Syria. The question is not whether this is possible; it will be possible if certain States have the necessary will. The question is: is the continuation of the current situation in Syria possible? The conflict has morphed into genocide and caused the mass displacement of the population.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“But is there a tyranny in the world that could acknowledge an alternative? Is it possible that a tyranny could allow an alternative to grow and develop under its shadow? When a people suffer from war, genocide and displacement, the worst decision is not to take a decision at all, and the worst danger lies in ignoring danger. The failure of the international community to take the decisions and measures necessary to end this disaster is a major crime. It reveals the failure and the incapacity of the international system and has led to a loss of confidence in legality and the international community. In this context, the role of the General Assembly must be promoted and strengthened as a broader framework for dealing with the issues facing peoples, given the inability or failure of the Security Council to find fair solutions thereto.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In that context, the Syrian regime has manipulated the concept of terrorism by depicting peaceful demonstrations as terrorism, even as it has been committing actual acts of terrorism. When the shelling and killing of civilians drove people to take armed action, and when certain entities that are not committed to the demands and principles of the Syrian revolution entered into the sphere of political action without permission, Syria became a war zone. At that point, the regime attempted to instil fear into the international community as to the alternative. It was incumbent on the international community to put an end to the massacres in a timely manner and create the conditions necessary for the Syrian people to devise a rational, civil and fair alternative to despotic rule.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“We caution against missed opportunities, because if people were to reach the conclusion that there is no peaceful solution to this issue, this would lead to unpredictable and dire consequences for the region and for the whole world. The Syrian crisis, with all of its dimensions and repercussions, is having catastrophic consequences for the Middle East region and the world as a whole. The continued atrocities and horrendous crimes perpetrated by the regime against the Syrian people threaten the status of the State and its people and create a breeding ground for extremism and terrorism, under false religious, sectarian and ethnic pretexts, endangering humankind and the cultural heritage in Syria and the region.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“But we wonder what happened to the conference and the decisions it took. The international community, represented in the Security Council, is duty-bound to assume its responsibilities by taking a firm stance that would force Israel to comply with the deliverables of peace, namely, to halt all forms of settlement activity in the occupied Palestinian territories; to lift the unjust siege of the Gaza Strip; and to implement the resolutions of international legitimacy that recognize the Palestinian people’s right to regain their legitimate national rights and establish an independent Palestinian State on the basis of the 1967 borders, in conformity with the principle of the two-State solution.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“Is this not tantamount to religious fundamentalism? Is this violence not an act of terrorism carried out by radical religious forces? Permit me to address a message to all major actors of the international community: the continued failure to find a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian question is a blot on the conscience of humankind. The international community is failing to find even a less than fair settlement; it has not even succeeded in achieving the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of the aggression, even though an international conference based on a Norwegian initiative was convened specifically for this purpose. Qatar has pledged to pay $1 billion for the reconstruction process, and we are continuing to provide aid to the Gaza Strip in implementation of our commitment.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In such circumstances, the international obligation to address the last de facto colonial issue in modern history cannot be shirked. Until an end is put to occupation and procrastination and other delaying tactics, futile contacts and statements will continue. The feverish pace of settlement activity, despite its having been condemned, will continue, in addition to persistent violations of the sanctity of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. This is a clear indication not only of the absence of Israel’s will to achieve peace, but also of the domination of ultra-Orthodox fundamentalist nationalist elements over Israeli policy. Look at what is happening in Jerusalem. Extremist religious political forces rely on literal interpretations of texts dating back thousands of years in order to desecrate other people’s holy sites and occupy and settle their land.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In a way, that is the raison d’être of the Organization, without which our annual meetings would be meaningless. The conflict in the Middle East will continue to pose a permanent threat to international peace and security, given its direct impact on the numerous crises facing the region and the world. A just and lasting solution to the question of Palestine, which remains an issue involving a people perennially displaced from their land and still under the yoke of occupation, cannot be postponed to another generation. The achievement of a just and lasting settlement that brings an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories and which establishes a Palestinian State requires an Israeli partner for peace. For the time being, there is no Israeli partner for a just peace or even for a settlement.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“The absence of international consensus has proved once again to be an obstacle to efforts to resolve important issues. Selectivity in choosing what efforts to make in enforcing justice and international law remains prevalent in dealing with regional issues. That compromises the concept of international legitimacy and the values, norms and principles that are rooted in the human conscience and have been adopted by the international community after millions of people paid an exorbitant price throughout history as a result of major humanitarian challenges that have taken an unforgettable toll on people, such as enslavement, genocide, colonialism, racism and world war. It is impermissible to tamper with the values that have grown out of the suffering of people.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“It is gratifying that the United Nations has adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (resolution 70/1), which we have supported, based on our belief that the good distribution of the fruits of development is a prerequisite for realizing social justice, preserving human dignity and enhancing the cohesion of communities, thereby enhancing security and stability in the world. Since there is no lasting stability without development and social justice, development is also clearly impossible where there is war and unrest. It was our hope that this session would be convened after some progress had been made with regard to the various bloody conflicts in our world, yet we find ourselves encountering increasing numbers of challenges and crises that threaten international peace and security.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“At the outset, I would like to extend my congratulations to His Excellency Mr. Mogens Lykketoft on his election as President of the General Assembly at its seventieth session and to wish him every success. I also wish to express our appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Sam Kutesa, President of the General Assembly at its sixty-ninth session, for his efforts in conducting the Assembly’s business at that session. I wish also to avail myself of this occasion to commend the efforts made by His Excellency the Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, to achieve the goals of the United Nations.”
2015-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 70 (2015)
“In that context, the State of Qatar has achieved the majority of the Millennium Development Goals and is working towards achieving all the Goals before 2015, as demonstrated by United Nations and regional reports in that field.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“That proposed organization will complement the work of the other relevant international organizations in combatting desertification and drought and preserving the environment without duplicating their work. I call upon all Member States to support that initiative. The State of Qatar participates as an active and effective partner in efforts to achieve sustainable development at the international level. We have pledged to allocate the required percentage of our gross national product for the least developed countries, in addition to the humanitarian and relief assistance that our State provides in cases of emergency and disaster.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In that regard, I would like to confirm and reiterate the commitment of the State of Qatar to continued cooperation with the international community in facing that challenge and implementing the measures agreed upon during the eighteenth session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which was hosted by Qatar at the end of last year, in order to develop a road map for tackling the negative environmental and economic consequences of that dangerous phenomenon. It is worth mentioning that the State of Qatar has gone a long way towards implementing the initiative of the Global Dry Land Alliance, which it launched in order to establish an international organization that would tackle the implications of that phenomenon.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In that context, I affirm the position of the State of Qatar that every State in the region has an absolute right to use nuclear power for peaceful purposes in accordance with the standards and procedures of the International Atomic Energy Agency. We also look forward to convening the Helsinki conference as a step that contributes to the efforts aimed at making the Middle East a zone free of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction. The issue of climate change remains at the top of our concerns, with all its ramifications for the global system as a whole.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“In that context, the process of reform and modernity initiated by Qatar, which has made it a State of institutions and one that is interacting positively with the international community, was achieved only through a genuine commitment to applying the rule of law and principles of good governance, combating corruption, protecting human rights and basic freedoms, empowering women to participate in public life on an equal footing with men, and creating a healthy environment for children. In addition, our national policies have always focused, as a priority, on the concerns of young people and on creating a suitable educational environment for them aimed at ensuring the maximum use of their capacities. The proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, in particular nuclear weapons, in the Middle East is a very alarming issue.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The State of Qatar has always opted to be an active and effective party playing a constructive role at the international level through its balanced economic and political relations at the bilateral and multilateral levels. We will continue to take that approach, so that the State of Qatar can uphold its responsibilities and commitments at the national, regional and international levels. The State of Qatar aims to be a hub for dialogue and discussion among various parties to conflicts and not to be a party to such conflicts. We aim also to create opportunities for cultural and informational dialogue between peoples.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Rarely have there been revolutions that have not been followed by desperate attempts by former regimes to abort them. That is why wise people always prefer that regime change should take place through a process of gradual reform. But we also know very well that in some cases, in our region and in other regions of the world, change could not have taken place through reform. We should not jump to hasty conclusions about the future of the Arab revolutions. This is a historical necessity and a long-term one. It is clear that things in the Arab world will not revert to the way they were and that the Arab peoples have become more aware of their rights and more involved in the public domain.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The Arab Spring revolutions, during which the Arab people have risen up, calling for freedom, dignity and social justice, are now facing difficulties that seem to be aimed at reversing the march of time. As such difficulties had been anticipated, it is strange that certain politicians have not been able to avoid even expected problems. Anyone who knows the reality of the issues in the Arab region and their historical context knows that these revolutions have taken place in the context of a long- term historical process similar to those experienced previously by various peoples in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. The path to a just rule and to meeting the demands of peoples in all States of the world has never been easy; it has always been replete with sacrifices. It is not easy to follow such a path with patience and determination.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“While it is obviously impossible for any decision to be taken in the Council without the support of the majority of the permanent member States, decision-making should not be monopolized in the long term by one or two States. I take this opportunity to call upon our Syrian brothers to unify their ranks in order to initiate a transitional period leading to the establishment of a governing system that guarantees freedom and dignity for all Syrians, without discrimination on the grounds of gender, nationality, sect or creed. These large numbers of martyrs have not fallen and all these sacrifices have not been made by this great people so that despotism could be exchanged for chaos or another kind of despotism.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“From that perspective, the decision-making process in the Security Council must change, since it lacks fairness and objectivity. It has also become a major obstacle to the maintenance of international peace and security and to the punishment of war criminals and perpetrators of crimes against humanity. We therefore reiterate the importance of accelerating comprehensive reform of the Security Council in order to make it more capable of dealing objectively with global challenges and responding to the aspirations of peoples. That can be achieved only through equitable representation of the international community in the Council, so that it can become expressive of democracy in international multilateral efforts.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The issue is not whether or not Syria possesses chemical weapons, because Syria is a State that is in conflict with another State that possesses chemical, biological and even nuclear weapons. The issue is the use of such weapons by the regime against its own people. The Syrian people did not rise up in order to place Syrian chemical weapons under international supervision. They did so in order to get rid of despotism and corruption and to put an end to the injustice they have been facing. We all know that the responsibility for the failure to impose the political settlement we would all prefer for Syria is due basically to the Security Council’s inability to take the decisions required to put an end to the bloodshed and to the continued intransigence of the Syrian regime and its rejection of all regional and international initiatives.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“We therefore call upon the Security Council to uphold its responsibility to maintain international peace and security and to take the decisions necessary to stop all illegitimate Israeli practices. Destructive actions and appalling massacres, including the policy of scorched earth and the destruction of cities, continue to be carried out by the Syrian regime against its peoples, crossing all red lines dictated by ethics and mandated by law, particularly in view of the regime’s use of chemical weapons against the Syrian people. It is unfortunate that the perpetrators of those brutal crimes and massacres, which have shocked every human conscience, are, undeterred, enjoying impunity from accountability. That raises questions about the credibility of the human rights and international legality mechanisms of the international community.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“The current status quo resembles a situation of apartheid under the domination of one State or even within a single State. That cannot but be grounds for fresh conflict, as no people could accept continued injustice and remain silent. The inalienable national rights of the Palestinian people to establish their independent State, with Jerusalem as its capital and within the limits of 1967 borders, as well as the right of return for Palestinian refugees, are not only an Arab demand; they also represent an international standard for testing the credibility of international legality, which should not be divisible. Just as the international community has in the past applied the principles of international legality to other crises in the world, we should apply the same legal principles to all issues.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“True peace can come about only through coexistence among peoples on the basis of good-neighbourliness, mutual respect and respect for the interests of all. The peace we desire is built upon dignity, justice and the principles of international legality, as well as United Nations resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative, the principle of a two-State solution and the withdrawal of Israel from all occupied Arab territories. The experiences of different nations and peoples confirm that unjust settlements do not endure but only lead to new conflicts. The continued de facto policy in Palestine will not make the issue disappear. It is actually becoming more complicated, because continuing settlement activities are leading to the destruction of the foundation for the establishment of a Palestinian State.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“This is not simply because such actions represent flagrant violations of international laws and covenants, but also because the Palestinian cause is a just cause and the historical injustice inflicted upon the Palestinian people must end. The major international bodies were established on the basis of the right to self-determination in the aftermath of two world wars. It is unreasonable that they cannot do anything about the last remaining colonial issue in the world. Israel should realize that coercion and de facto policies do not bring security. It is wrong for it to establish a State that believes that the prospect for peace lies in subjugating other peoples, denying their rights and making that a priority over peace. There can be no security without peace.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“That conflict is at the forefront of the issues threatening international peace and security, owing to the continued Israeli occupation and the injustices inflicted upon the Palestinian people, as well as the failure to reach a just and lasting peace in accordance with resolutions of international legality. The continued Israeli occupation of Palestinian and Arab territories cannot be accepted as normal. Its practices include the changing of the demographic conditions in those territories, particularly through the expansion of settlement activity, the Judaization of the city of Jerusalem, the unjust embargo against the Gaza Strip, and intensification of settlement activities in the occupied Syrian Golan and changing its status quo and demographics.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“Peoples from different regions of the world are expecting the institutions of the international community to dedicate their efforts to finding solutions to the issues of poverty, hunger and sustainable development in a way that goes beyond simply convening conferences and adopting resolutions, and even beyond the necessary collective attention and campaigns that are called for from time to time, important as they might be. Recently, the Arab region has experienced many historic events and accelerating change. It has witnessed turbulent events arising from popular movements and their forceful entry into the public and political arenas. Stalemate continues to characterize the Arab- Israeli conflict.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)
“I would like first to congratulate His Excellency Mr. John Ashe on his election as President of the General Assembly at its sixty-eighth session, and I wish him every success in his mission. I would like also to express our appreciation to His Excellency Mr. Vuk Jeremi., President of the Assembly at its sixty-seventh session, for his efforts for the success of that session. I would like also to commend the efforts of His Excellency the Secretary- General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, to strengthen the role of the United Nations. The international community faces many different problems related to peace and security, in addition to challenges facing the efforts made to solve disputes peacefully. This calls for strengthening the United Nations capacity to tackle these challenges and problems.”
2013-09-24 · UN General Assembly · General Debate, Session 68 (2013)