| 30 Mar 2009 |
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Saudi's King Abdullah walks out of opening session of Arab Summit
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30 March 2009
Doha: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz walked out of the opening session of the Arab Summit in Doha on Monday, following remarks made by Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Tempers flared shortly after the summit host Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, ended his opening address, in which he said King Abdullah will represent the Arab nation at Thursday’s G20 economic summit in London.
"He is in fact the best representative any one could have,” said Shaikh Hamad. The Arabs should be part of the restructuring of the global financial system, he said. “We should not sit on the sidelines watching.”
Following the speech, the Libyan leader took over the microphone without requesting a permission to speak, a Gulf News correspondent inside the meeting hall said.
"I don’t know why we should be happy that King Abdullah is representing us at the G20. He is a British-made monarch and an American agent," Gaddafi said, and went on despite the repeated attempts by Shaikh Hamad to stop him.
Frustrated over the attempts by the Emir of Qatar to stop his from talking, Gaddafi looked at the rest of the Arab leaders and said: "I am the King of African Kings, I am the prince of the faithful and I don’t think my international prestige would allow me to sit with people like you."
The remark and the subsequent apology by the Emir of Qatar led to an angry walkout by King Abdullah, who few years earlier had a similar spat with Gaddafi.
Sources told Gulf News the Emir of Qatar then sent his Prime Minister Shaikh Hamad Bin Jasem Bin Jabr Al Thani to appeal to the King to return to the meeting hall.
Following a short meeting at his suite, the King was seen coming back to his seat in time to hear UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon addressing the conference.
Seventeen heads of state from the 22-member Arab League and Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri Al Maliki were present for the opening addresses by Syrian President Bashar Al Assad and Emir of Qatar.
By Staff Reporter
© Gulf News 2009
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Community Comments (16)
I like to read the comments to see what kind of ppl are reading the same articles I am. As seen by XYZ's comment and others, I get dismayed to see the hate bred by Arabs/Muslims (seemingly interchnagable since I see a lot of 'Dubai residents' writting in as 'Arabs'.) As an ARAB Muslim GCC Women who works in Finance (a European Institution), educated in the US, I am proud of King Abdulla and Emir Hamad of Qatar, although I am not proud of the poorly educated ignorent men we have allowed to run our region (namely the men on these comment boards who get paid rich salaries to cry racism at any given chance.)
XYZ, you might find actually doing something about the gang rape and mulla rule in Pakistan more useful than coming on here and praying to the international community to try Israel!
There I said it, too feminist?
Amal,
It a wonderful to hear an educated informed opinion rather then the continued defence of criminals. I started this debate as the appearance of Al Bashir at this event is a tarnish on the middle east, a region I visit on a monthly basis for business and an area I greatly enjoy seeing.
People must be responsible for their actions and by allowing Al Bashir to attend, the leaders of the other nations must accept some responsibility.
I am in no way excusing the actions of anyone else, be they in Israel, Iran, Iraq, London or Washington, I am simply highlighting the issue i have with allowing this criminal who is justifiably wanted under international law to stand together with the leaders of the region.
It is a shame, but as these things happen, they will influence opinion on the region from the rest of the world.
Tom
Hi Tom
I agree these people should not be allowed to attend but in the defense of the Arab world, a union has to start somewhere. Unfortunately we are left with few options when looking for the select few that are not 'in bed' with Israel. (Poor excuse I'll admit)
Having said that, I am getting uncomfortable with Arab/Muslims sence of entitlement. It does seem that the blame for every problem lately is Isreal, America, Europe. Reality is that everyone has their own people and their own agenda as a priority, which is fair enough. Our image is tarnished because of big problems and loopholes that have allowed extremism to breed hate. We needn't expect the west to fix this. We need to fix this. Saudi Arabia arrested 11 terror suspects, we need to start making these people accountable.
PS Glad to hear you like the ME. Really some exceptional people we have here:)
Hi Amal,
A pleasure to enter into educated debate and discussion with you. The internet bringing together people from thousands of miles away is truly fantastic.
Surly to develop the union, strength needs to be shown by not allowing those who tarnish the image and hold back the growth of the region to participate.
There is an abundance of opportunity in the region. Combined with the excellent structure and education available, the ME will be the future. Fantastic positioning geographically and an appetite for growth and development means we in the 'west' are all keeping a keen eye on developments.
However, things like this can tarnish opinion.
The Israel thing is very difficult as they are protected by the US (who rely on the finance and votes of the Jewish population) and thus are hard to keep under control.
All I can hope for is people to sit down, talk to each other and understand that we are all human wanting the best for ourselves and our people and we most certainly can work and live together. Such a shame that I doubt we will see this in my life time and I am only 30!!
Hi Tom,
Good to hear your intelligent responses. I'm optimistclly waiting for a GCC monetary union (and that might be hard to see in my lifetime:))
Agreed, our moral standards need tweeking. From a woman's POV, the rate of Child Brides (Saudi), honor killings (Jordan) and polygimy (expecting backlash here) is scary.
I may have just aired all our dirty laundry. Anyway I guess thats why we are the developING world.
Tom/Dimal,
I am not trying to protect here the atrocities done by Omar, Saddam or any other leaders. If they have done something wrong, they should be punished by their country laws not by opportunist laws or conventions created by US and it's cronies.
My question is why this so called Internationa community (IC) and laws apply to only muslim countries or its leaders why not for other coutries particulary US, Israel and Westereners ? Leaders of these countries can do whatever they want in other coutries but if the others do it particulary muslim countries then it's not acceptable.
Take the case of Iran's nuclear issue, All those countries who are against it, posses nuclear weapons and energy but if any other country want to have the same priviliage then it's not acceptable. Is this justice?
Take the case of your country (Sri Lanka), when they fight against LTTE then US and western countries wants to protect LTTE as it's a freedom fight but in Palestian and Kashmir who are fighting against occupants, then it's called Terrorism. Is this the Justtice?
XYZ, why are Tom's comments pathetic? You agree, as he's stated, that Omar Al Bashir needs to pay for his atrocities. He also states that welcoming people like him in the summit will tarnish the image of the Arab world, which is also a valid assumption.
Bush, Blair and their leaders aren't attending the Arab summit? In what context should they be brought up in this article at all? Is it because Tom's from London?
Stop accusing people randomly of discrimination just because they don't discuss the faults of their leaders where it's not concerned. Now if this article dealt with Blair and Bush it would be a different matter....
Thank you Dimal, i was starting to worry as to what it was i had actually written in my piece.
I feel sorry for those who are herded by media and politics unti to free leadership outside the Western World. I am not a pro- El Bashir’s regime, but I know (like millions of Sudanese, including opposition leaders) that the allegations against El Bashir are unfounded and are even against the international law that preserves the immunity of heads of state in power and the national sovereignty. The so called Court is NOT to change international law, but is bound to work within it, where it has failed miserably and flagrantly!!
Tom, it's pathetic to see your coments. When it comes to Omar Al Bashir or people like Saddam Hussein you guys are talking for justice to be done for their crimes or atrocities.
What about leaders of Israel's who kills innocent children,women and eledery people on daily basis by blatenlty violating so called international rules without being punished or not condemnation???
What about the leaders of US, UK & other countries who concocted massive destructions in Iraq, Afghanistan,Pakistan etc., in the name of erradicating WMD and terrorism ???
why you gues are silent on these issues and protecting your leaders like Bush, Blair etc., When some thing happen in a muslim country or any of its leaders are involved all the international rules and convictions are being talked but nothing otherwise.
First of all stop this discrimination and treat people fairly. Due to the missmanagemt of the politics and economy now your so called developed countries are struglling and trying for way out to survive.
Therefore, before thow your missiles to Bashir, prosecute leaders like Bush, Blair and their supporters for the genocide they done in Iraq,Afghanistan etc.,
Gaddafi is nothing but a ruthless dictator & a disgrace to his people, and the World turn a blind eye.AlBashir must face justice so as ANY other so called leader that directly & indirectly be proven responsible for atrocities carried out due to their policies, this should, without a doubt, apply to European & American leaders concerning Iraq invasion & destruction...most Arab leaders get GLUED to the leadership then passed On to their children , Syria, Egypt( in making),Libya(in making)..& they talk about Democracy,.Islam has nothing to do with their Policies, so stop mixing the 2....
i agree, this is no reflection on islam as a religion, just a shame a person responsible for such genocide is allowed to grace such an occasion.
The war in Iraq is also a crime. I am a londoner and am ashamed of my countries actions.
More importantly then who walked out is how Sudanese President Omar Al Bashir, who is attending the summit, is not being handed over for his crimes against humanity! welcoming people like him will tarnish the arab image to the world far more then walking out and bickering between royals.
The man must face justice!
Nothing lik this happened according to aljazeera web site. See aljazeera for the report
This Gulf News report is backed up by the Al Jazeera english report of the same conference which can be accessed at this link:
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/03/2009330105410651482.html
Under the 3rd paragraph entitled "walkout"
As i read the news in yahoo news, IT is very much pain full for all muslims hearts. becouse of the leaders of muslims still not understand our hadis of profet mohammed ,
Good to hear your intelligent responses. I'm optimistclly waiting...
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