WEDNESDAY, 15 MAY 2002 __

                    PROCEEDINGS AT JOINT SITTING
                                ____

Members of the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces assembled in the Chamber of the National Assembly at 14:09.

The Speaker took the Chair and requested members to observe a moment of silence for prayers or meditation.

              WELCOME TO HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF QATAR

The SPEAKER: Hon members, we are honoured to welcome amongst us today His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Amir of Qatar, who has been invited to address this Joint Sitting. I call upon the hon Mr Ebrahim to introduce His Highness. [Applause.]

Mr E I EBRAHIM: Madam Speaker, His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al- Thani, President Mbeki, Deputy President Zuma, members of the delegation accompanying His Highness, hon members of Parliament, distinguished guests, and ladies and gentlemen, it gives me great pleasure today to introduce and welcome to this assembly His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Amir of the state of Qatar.

Assalaamu-alai-kum-wa-rahmatullahi-wa-barakatu. [May Allah’s peace, mercy and blessings be upon you.]

His Highness the Amir is the first head of an Arab Gulf state to visit our country. [Applause.] His Highness is the current chairperson of the 55- member Organisation of Islamic Conference, and, next year, he will take the chair of the six-member Gulf Co-operation Council.

South Africa is, as hon members know, the current chair of the Nonaligned Movement, and will later be a member of its troika. As chairs of these two emerging political blocs, we have much to compare and discuss.

This state visit by His Highness, we believe, will further strengthen our bilateral relations, and increase political and economic ties with members of the Gulf Co-operation Council and our interaction with the Organisation of Islamic Conference.

Both our countries are deeply concerned about the current conflict in the Middle East, and both our countries and the organisations we lead are committed to finding a just and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the creation of a free and independent Palestinian state.

Our economic ties with the state of Qatar have increased over the years. A bilateral Air Service Agreement and a Defence Co-operation Agreement have already been concluded between South Africa and the state of Qatar. Qatar, which is a source of crude oil and natural gas, recently signed an agreement with Sasol to use Sasol technology to convert natural gas into liquid fuel.

I would like to tell His Highness that his visit to our country takes place at a time when Africa is looking to the future with great optimism. African countries are not only moving towards the formation of an African Union, but our continent has also unfolded the New Partnership for Africa’s Development, Nepad. The political and economic support of Qatar and other Gulf states for the implementation of the development project Nepad will contribute greatly towards its success.

His Highness the Amir has a distinguished military career. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy in Sandhurst, and joined the Qatari Armed Forces and was eventually appointed Commander-in-Chief of the army. In 1977, he also, in addition, became the Minister of Defence in Qatar.

His Highness devoted much attention to youth and sporting activities in the firm conviction that these activities form a vital part in the process of nation-building. He established the first Military Sporting Association, which received membership of the International Military Sporting Association.

His Highness the Amir was awarded numerous decorations by various countries for his efforts to boost bilateral relations and promote peace and co- operation among nations. I counted over 21 decorations, among them the Medal of Jose Marte from Cuba. [Applause.]

I welcome him on behalf of the members of Parliament and the people of South Africa.

Ahlan wa sahlan min Janub Afriqiya. [Welcome to South Africa.] [Applause.]

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[pic] [pic] (Translation of Arabic speech follows.)

             [ADDRESS BY HIS HIGHNESS THE AMIR OF QATAR

Sheikh HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL-THANI: In The Name of God, The Most Compassionate, The Most Merciful: Madam Speaker, hon members of Parliament, ladies and gentlemen, I wish to express my happiness at being present here today to address you from this momentous platform, the pillar of democracy in your friendly country.

I take this opportunity to extend, on behalf of myself and the people of the state of Qatar, greetings of appreciation and admiration for the struggle and heroic steadfastness of your people against the policy of apartheid and all forms of repression and oppression in unyielding determination and firm resolve with no compromise until they achieved their freedom. And here your country is today enjoying the fruits of its struggle and its complete national rights, thereby earning the respect and admiration of the international community.

Today you have another colossal task, which is to improve the standard of living of your people. We have total confidence that with your determination, will and resolve, you are fully able to attain that objective and confront the challenges, more so because you have chosen the path of democracy as a style of governance, which is a wise and correct choice.

As you know, democracy is a human legacy, inherited by the nations and entrenched by human experiences in terms of responsible participation in the decision-making which it represents, comprising the building of state institutions, abiding by the rule of law and monitoring government performance. It has become the ideal way of establishing a secure and stable society and the best style to achieve development.

Because we in Qatar, the leadership and the masses, believe in these maxims and principles, we have taken promising steps to guarantee the responsible freedom of expression and chosen with full conviction popular participation as a political course based on the teachings of our true Islamic religion and emulating firmly established democratic experiences.

There is another important matter that I find necessary to emphasise; it is the need to consecrate the foundations of balance, justice, mutual respect and refraining from double standards in dealings on the front of international relations, with adherence to international legitimacy, its conventions and affirmation of national and political rights for all peoples and societies as well as their right to live in freedom, dignity and sovereignty over their lands without resorting to force, occupation, violence or coercion. It is through these principles that it will become possible for us to construct an international community based on the pillars of international law, legitimacy and mutual interests and combat all repugnant phenomena such as extremism, terrorism and violence whilst eradicating its roots and causes.

From this perspective our foreign policy is based on mutual respect, common interests, ties of good neighbourliness, noninterference in the internal affairs of other countries and the necessity of settling conflicts and disputes between countries through peaceful and diplomatic means, through direct negotiations or reference to international arbitration.

Today the Palestinians are exposed to the most horrific forms of subjugation and oppression. Here I cannot but commend Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who said, and I quote:

The Palestinians are facing today what we black people in South Africa were subjected to during the hegemony of the apartheid government.

[Applause.] I regard it as a duty to laud the positive position of your friendly country in assisting the just cause of the Palestinian people.

Peace and security in the Middle East have their demands; they can only be achieved by the implementation of the resolutions of international legality and the Palestinian people regaining their complete national and legitimate rights, foremost of which is their right to self-determination, establishing their independent state on their national soil with Jerusalem as its capital … [Applause] … as well as the withdrawal of Israel from all the Arab lands it occupied in 1967.

While we condemn terrorism in all its forms and guises, whatsoever its source and wherever it occurs, be it state terrorism or that of organisations or individuals, it is incumbent on us to differentiate between terrorism, which is condemned and rejected, and the right of peoples to self-determination, ridding themselves of the domination of foreign occupation, and their defence of their homelands and dignity, because that is a right recognised by and enshrined in all and by all charters and international laws.

When any person’s life becomes worse than death, then he will choose death. And if he must die, he will endeavour to take with him the one who drove him to death. This is what Israel is doing to the Palestinians and this is their response to her.

The people and government of the state of Qatar are striving to promote and develop our ties with your friendly country in all spheres, especially those of the economy, investment, industry and science. The opportunities of joint co-operation are numerous and its doors are open. I hope that my visit will contribute to enhancing the fruitful co-operation between our two countries.

I thank you for your attention and I wish for your friendly country and people continued progress and prosperity. May the peace the mercy and blessings of God be upon you. [Applause.]]

                           VOTE OF THANKS Ms J L KGOALI: Madam Speaker, His Excellency the Amir,  His  Excellency  the President of the Republic of South Africa and the hon the  Deputy  President of South Africa, I am deeply honoured to  pass  a  vote  of  thanks  on  the occasion of the historic visit of His  Excellency,  Amir  Sheikh  Hamad  Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, to our country and Parliament.

I am sure His Excellency is convinced that South Africa is not just a beautiful country, but is also a country that is striving to do the best for its people and its neighbours.

The state of Qatar became fully independent on 1 September 1971. Qatar is one of the most affluent countries in the Gulf region because of its natural gas and crude oil resources. In November 2000, Qatar assumed the chair of the Organisation of Islamic Conference for two years and, whilst South Africa is the chair of the Nonaligned Movement, Qatar will be an important interpolator in the Middle Eastern process and the matters affecting relationships between the two regions.

Since the hon Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani has come to power in 1985, he has moved rapidly to prepare the ground for political change. The past seven years have seen the holding of three municipal elections with universal adult suffrage and the announcement of plans to move to a democratic structure.

South Africa and Qatar share an ever-increasing range of interests and contacts. Qatar is one of South Africa’s leading trade partners in the Gulf region. Major companies continue to establish subsidiaries in the Gulf region, and there are now over 10 000 South African experts working in the technical and medical fields in the region.

Qatar’s strategic significance stems not just from its geographic position, but also from its rapid modernisation and growing economy which will reposition it in the world stage. The visit by His Excellency, Sheikh Hamad, reflects his commitment to promote further progress in a range of economic, security and political issues, and to continue to explore new avenues of co-operation. We thank him and his entourage for visiting this country. [Applause.]

The Speaker adjourned the Joint Sitting at 14:27.