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Assemblée parlementaire de l'OTAN
HomeMEDIA RESOURCES201223 March 2012 - QATAR OFFICIALS WELCOME CONTINUED DIALOGUE AND CO-OPERATION WITH THE NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
23 March 2012 - QATAR OFFICIALS WELCOME CONTINUED DIALOGUE AND CO-OPERATION WITH THE NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY
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A delegation of 23 legislators from 14 NATO countries visited Qatar from 19 to 21 March 2012 and conducted high-level meetings with the country’s political leadership. Led by Marit Nybakk (Norway), Chairwoman of the Sub-Committee on NATO Partnerships (PCNP), and Dr Karl A. Lamers (Germany), President of the NATO PA, the group discussed a broad range of issues, including Qatar’s foreign and security perspectives and recent developments in the region. |
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During the visit legislators were received by His Highness the Emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, and met with the Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, Major-General Hamad bin Ali al-Attiyah and with members of the Majlis al Shura. The programme also included discussions with independent experts from various institutes, including, among others, the School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, Qatar, the Qatar International Academy for Security Studies (QIASS), and the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies. The subjects discussed included the security and stability in the Gulf, the developments in North Africa and the Middle East, NATO-Qatar relations, as well as proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. The meetings, conducted in a very open, frank and hospitable atmosphere, revealed agreement among participants on a broad range of topics, particularly on the importance of maintaining stability in the Gulf region. His Highness, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, stressed that Qatar aims to have good relations with all countries of the region. Qatar officials acknowledged NATO’s contribution to end the violence in Libya and underlined their interest in cooperating more closely with NATO in the context of the Istanbul Cooperation Initiative (ICI). Host country speakers expressed concern about the situation in Syria. The Emir condemned the Syrian leadership’s use of violence against its own population and called upon the international community to support the people of Syria. Qatari officials underlined that they welcomed continued dialogue and co-operation with the NATO Parliamentary Assembly.
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