Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani with President and CEO of World Economic Forum Borge Brende at the World Economic Forum session in Davos.
Davos: Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani stated that the new Syrian administration is taking correct steps and needs help to achieve stability, safeguard the state institutions and secure the essential need for the people of Syria.
This came during a dialogue discussion moderated on Tuesday by HE President of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende, within the 55th session of the World Economic Forum 2025, currently held in Davos, Switzerland, from Jan. 20 to 24.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasized that he is optimistic on the future of the Middle East region, albeit the unfortunate challenges the region witnessed in 2024, highlighting that last year featured unfortunate incidents in the Middle East, but in early 2025, there have been positive things, with a new Lebanese President being elected and the downfall of a brutal regime in Syria that was killing and displacing its people.
The State of Qatar adopts a principled stance that precludes the reintegration of a war criminal and the overlooking of the atrocities he committed, His Excellency said, adding that the acceptance of such an action, even once, would establish a precedent whereby any president could massacre their own people with impunity.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs stated that there is no disagreement within the international community regarding the necessity of Syrias stability, but failure in Syria is not an option, because should it occur again, the consequences would be even much worse.
His Excellency praised his recent meeting with the Leader of the new administration of Syria, noting that there was an openness to all and a willingness to engage all factions. He stressed that those factions must be afforded the opportunity to form a government that truly represents the entire people of Syria.
It is very essential to have a comprehensive roadmap for Syria, not only for its own stability but for the entire region and the international community as well, while the immense potential of the Syrian people is commendable, which has been evidenced by their contributions to the communities they joined as refugees, where they flourished, His Excellency highlighted.
HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs hoped that the US President Donald Trump would achieve the two-state solution, lauding the significant role played by the Administration of President Trump in the Gaza ceasefire deal. He thanked HE the US President's Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff who diligently worked to accomplish that objective.
Over the past few days, the US Administration has demonstrated robust leadership and determination to find solutions, urging parties to accept proposals they had previously rejected due to short-term political goals that neither serve the interests of the people nor contribute to the stability of the region.
His Excellency expressed his hope that the agreement reached in recent days, in partnership with the United States and Egypt, would lead to the settlement of the conflict in the region, affirming that he is pleased to see the agreement coming into effect, marking the commencement of aid flow to the people of Gaza as well as the return of hostages.
There is a hope that this agreement will endure and progress to its second and third phases, ultimately leading to an enduring ceasefire, he said.
Regarding the sustainability of the agreement, His Excellency emphasized that it hinges upon the conflict parties' readiness to ensure the implementation of its terms, adding that that the guarantors and mediators would exert every single effort to secure its enforcement, establishing mechanisms to monitor and address any violations at their initial phases to prevent the collapse of the agreement.
He outlined that the framework agreed upon in December 2023, is the same one that was accomplished in recent days, expressing his hope that the negotiations for the second phase of the deal would not be as challenging as the November 2023 ceasefire discussions.
His Excellency stressed that calculations must change, and everyone must feel a sense of responsibility, highlighting that the incidents of October 7 generated a momentum around the urgent need to resolve the Palestinian cause and achieve the two-state solution, as a lynchpin for the regional security and stability.
As for the costs of reconstruction, His Excellency affirmed that it is unfortunate that Gaza has been entirely devastated, with thousands of inhabitants still trapped under the rubble. He underscored the importance of securing a lasting peace and providing assurances to nations that their investments in reconstruction will not be in vain.
His Excellency said that Gaza has been utterly devastated, not just 80 percent of its infrastructure, adding that what is being reported in the media does not accurately reflect the true extent of the destruction on the ground, though the entire neighborhoods have been obliterated, while the satellite images of the devastation are horrifying.
Regarding the role of the Palestinian authority in reconstruction, His Excellency stated that the Palestinians can achieve reconciliation and forming a government responsible for decision-making in Gaza, ensuring that the decisions remain Palestinian.
He called on the Palestinian authority to arrange for all factions to form a professional government that represents all segments of the Palestinian people and spearheads the reconstruction efforts.
On the instability in the West Bank in recent months, His Excellency noted that settler violations instigate provocations and foster hatred among Palestinians. adding that there is no justification for harming to anyone, but the Palestinians need protection.
Any government assuming responsibility for managing affairs in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip will not succeed if it is constrained by Israel, His Excellency warned, adding that Qatar aspires to an enduring and just peace that helps the two sides to live side by side.
In his response to a question about the fears of a potential flareup of an Israeli-Iranian war, His Excellency added that considering to what transpired in the region last year, any aggression on any nation will lead to an all-out war.
The crisis must be entirely defused, and the ceasefire in Gaza has marked a positive development for the region that can be built upon, His Excellency said, emphasizing that the State of Qatar adopts a foreign policy based on mediation and opening channels of communication with all parties to achieve peace through negotiations and rebuild trust with the nations it engages with.
Diplomacy the perfect solution for all concerns in the region, and since Qatar is a neighboring country to Iran, a nuclear arms race in the region are rejected, His Excellency stressed, highlighting that it is the interest of all to have a region free of nuclear weapons and no country should be prevented from securing a peaceful nuclear energy.
In his closing remarks, added that Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) are working in a strong partnership with the new US Administration to reach a peaceful solution for the Iranian nuclear program, highlighting that President Trump adopts the suppression of conflicts as a strategic option. (QNA)
