The translated transcript of the speech given by Sheikh Mohammed at the opening of the Arab Media Summit 2003. The summit's theme was 'War and the Media'

In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Brothers and sisters,

First, I would like to welcome His Excellency Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder of Germany, and guests from our sister states. I must take this opportunity to highlight the excellent relations between the UAE and Germany, for which we should thank His Highness President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan and Chancellor Schroeder.

I am not going to talk about the role of the media in modern war, or about weapons of mass destruction, or about the Arab media and journalists, because you will discuss these topics in the summit's upcoming sessions.

Nor am I going to talk about international conspiracies or disputes between the UN and the Security Council, because, whatever their differences, they will eventually find a solution.

And I am not going to talk about Iraq and its future, as I will discuss this with you in future sessions. Nor will I talk about the Palestinians and the Israelis - the Road Map and the new 'Berlin Wall'.

Nor will I answer the traditional question about what the future holds, because we are building the future now. And as for the question, "Has the Arabic media developed?" - you know the answer, audience.

What can we say about what is happening in the Arab world? It has started to spread negative news.

How benefits history, a scattered past?

We build it daily, event upon event

Much has happened since we last met. I am not going to go narrate everything that has occurred. Gromyko(1) - when he said, "and finally water flows in the Volga" - that is now history, but I say it is not yet time for the Euphrates to uncover a mountain of gold(2), and the Aasi River has yet to change its course.

The sacred relationship between the Euphrates and the Nile is known to only a few, and although we are nations that depend on fire(3), I believe that water will be the cause of future wars, and we ask the One with dominion over the waters4 to extinguish this fire.

Have other nations united against us? Have we become as worthless as spume on the waves? An Arab leader once said that we are not a nation; we are the draft of a nation. Could we not, at least, form a joint stock company whose capital is the Arab people? These are questions to which I wish you could find the answers.

Brothers and sisters, visitors to the Arab Media Summit, you are aware of the gravity of what is a very real crisis. You have an important role to play in events and your responsibility at this time is greater than ever before, since the influence of media on the hearts and minds of the people is now stronger than any other influence.

We condemn the Israeli attack on Syria, which they justify with claims of fighting the Palestinians, and we see this attack as an attempted demolition of the peace process, and we praise Syria's self-restraint in referring the matter to the international community.

Once again, I welcome you and our honoured guest, Chancellor Schroeder, and wish you great success at this summit.

May peace be with you.

Footnotes

1 - Andrei Gromyko, Russian Foreign Minister from 1957-1985

2 - A hadith (saying of the Prophet Mohammed) recited by Abu Hurairah states that the Last Hour will not come until, "the Euphrates uncovers a mountain of gold"

3 - 'Fire' refers to oil

4 - The "One with dominion over the waters" is Allah