Ambassador,

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

I am delighted to be here today at the Museum of Islamic Art and to have the opportunity to share a few fundamental thoughts on the Federal Republic of Germany’s relations with this region, and with the State of Qatar in particular. A museum is a rather unexpected location for a political speech. It is, however, a good place to let one’s mind wander, to look back at the past, at where we come from, as well as at the present; to consider where we want to go and which conflicts and challenges we have to overcome along the way.

I was just able to take a glimpse at the wealth this wonderful museum offers. To me, the many precious exhibits display the richness and power inherent in Islamic art and the Islamic civilization. We Europeans certainly are not yet sufficiently familiar with this art tradition and civilization, but we are gradually becoming more aware of and interested in it. This museum serves as a wonderful starting point for anyone who wants to learn more about this culture and civilization.

This building itself also serves in many ways as a bridge from Islam’s cultural past to our shared present and future. The museum is a great example of how to honour old traditions and also acknowledge them as a foundation for new and innovative developments. If you draw a comparison with European history, this museum shows not only the ebb and flow of history, but also the connections that already existed between individual civilizations centuries ago.

During my visit to the Gulf states I have experienced many new and innovative things – in the United Arab Emirates as well as in Saudi Arabia and, of course, also here in Qatar, in Doha with its impressive scenery. I would like to share two examples that made a big impression on me, in addition to what I have seen here in Doha. The first is King Abdullah University near Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. The university demonstrates the visionary approach the Saudi king is taking towards the future. Similarly, here in Doha with “Education City” you have made clear that you are thinking about the future and planning for the future in a way that looks beyond the available natural resources – beyond oil and natural gas – to focus on education and human resources. Another bold project is Masdar City in the United Arab Emirates. The carbon-neutral city being developed there demonstrates that in future, energy efficiency will play a central role in this region.

This brings me to another idea behind this museum. It conveys an impression of how the Islamic world, Europe and Asia influenced one another early on in the fields of science, art and culture. In Europe we tend to forget that for many centuries the Arab region was far ahead of us in the areas of science and culture, that it had significant advantages in technology and also played a decisive role in mathematics. It is important to remind ourselves that Europe cannot claim to have always been a leading power. Here in this region, there is a sense that you are building on a foundation that was laid hundreds of years ago.

In Europe, the period during which Arab art, culture and science was far more advanced is often viewed as a “golden age” in Arab arts and sciences. It was during this long epoch we know as the Middle Ages that the Arab-Muslim world, which – you have to remember – stretched from Central Asia to Spain, became the centre of science and scholarship. In al-Andalus, once part of Muslim Spain under the Caliphate of Córdoba, people from all over the world – Muslims, Christians and Jews – shaped not only cultural and intellectual life, but also science. There the interplay of religious tolerance and freedom of opinion produced a very fruitful atmosphere. Drawing inspiration from the sciences, craft-making and trade flourished as the society enjoyed a hitherto unknown measure of freedom and support for intellectual and cultural life.

This produced unbelievable scientific progress, a transfer of knowledge that stretched from the Arab world all the way to Europe. The exchange of goods and knowledge, which characterizes our common history, has always been at the heart of relations between the Orient and the Occident. Today we are once again at such a point where above all modern technology makes it possible to vitalize the ideas of exchange and cooperation more than ever before and transform them into a reliable partnership that can serve as the foundation for building reliable common ground.

That is why we should not lose sight of the actual source of economic growth, prosperity, social security and stability: an educated population, which is of paramount importance in this region as well. Education is a crucial resource in preparing for the future, it is the engine of social development. This is true for Germany, a country with few natural resources, as well as for the countries of this region which have abundant natural resources. That is why the Federal Republic of Germany has recently decided to invest especially in education and research, and will continue to do so in the future. Being here only confirms how right this decision was. Deciding against this investment would mean falling behind. Because as this region has long recognized, in Qatar for instance, education and science will play a major role in the strategy for the future after the oil era.

New universities are springing up all over the Gulf region. Male and above all female students, who often outnumber their male counterparts, are taking part in the knowledge development the world is witnessing. Qatar spends nearly three percent of its GDP on research – the very target that the Federal Republic of Germany has set for itself. This makes our two countries global front-runners in this area. I believe that these steps are well-considered, right and also necessary. It is important to promote the freedom and innovative power of science, to invest in intellectual property and also establish the political framework to protect such intellectual property. For education, innovation, invention and technological development play an essential role in helping us prepare for the challenges we face in the 21st century.

The tasks we have to master are diverse and range from energy supply and climate protection to food security and, especially in this region, clean drinking water. We are confronted with these and many other existential issues, particularly in regions with dramatic population growth where an increasing number of young people want to have a future. This poses a very different problem in this region than it does for us at home in Germany – our task is more to prepare ourselves for an ageing society and to ask: what do we do when fewer and fewer young people have to ensure the social security of more and more elderly people?

No matter what problems we face in our respective countries, we have to find solutions so that we, and most importantly also future generations, can live in dignity. The first and most important sentence in our Basic Law states: “Human dignity shall be inviolable.” We understand this to refer not only to our own country, not only to our own continent, but to the entire world. The world is becoming smaller and smaller, making it necessary to solve problems together. That is why sound education systems, science and research are so essential. There are no quick fixes here – these areas will require persistent efforts over decades.

Germany is traditionally known as a land of inventors, but this is no time for us to sit around and twiddle our thumbs. We cannot simply rely on the idea that the trademark “Made in Ger¬many” will automatically be a recipe for success in the future. It has long sustained us and can con¬tinue to do so, but we have to get moving.

That is why it is right for Germany to have a lively discussion on how to complete the transition to becoming a knowledge society. One undisputed element of this transition is that we need close cooperation with other knowledge societies. Our approach is that we can learn so much from each other, and in a way that is beneficial to all parties, a classic win-win situation in other words. I am therefore delighted that our delegation includes Dr Bode, Secretary-General of the German Academic Exchange Service, because it shows that we want to work with others to shape a global knowledge society.

Here I would like to say that Germany has a good reputation, but when it comes to convincing students from other countries to study in Germany, we still have a number of barriers to break down – especially with regard to job opportunities for graduates as well as the English-language study courses offered. Because the hope that every person who wants to come to Germany will learn German first will simply not be fulfilled. Yesterday in Saudi Arabia, for example, I learned that only one percent of foreign students in Germany are from Saudi Ara¬bia. The figure will not be much better for Qatar. One percent is simply too low, this is an area where we need to do more.

For us, another necessary aspect of this transformation is to open up suitable educational opportunities to everyone by making it easier to combine education, career and family. Given the decreasing number of young people, this is the only way to ensure that young men and women are not forced to choose between having a career and having a family. I very much welcome the fact that there is a high proportion of women at the new universities here in the Gulf region. I am positive that the high number of female students will increasingly be reflected in the working world, the media, in business as well as politics. Yesterday I spoke with the president of the local university and she was able to give me a vivid picture of what is being accomplished here.

Of course social developments, like the ones taking place here at such an awe-inspiring pace, always require a certain amount of time and the corresponding conditions. In Germany we know from experience that social development does not always happen rapidly. That is pre¬cisely why we are following the development of the dialogue on education policy and the discussion on equal opportunities and rights for women in the Gulf states. I can confidently state that Qatar is a leader here and has already made considerable achievements in areas other states are still wrestling with.What we need, in order to better understand one another, is respect for different values, as well as different political and religious worldviews. We will achieve this, despite our differences, by upholding the principle that human dignity is inviolable, as I mentioned earlier. In this respect, Qatar has already taken important steps, for example in being elected to the UN Human Rights Council. I also discussed this yesterday with representatives of the Council.

I think that everyone who travels to your region is fascinated by the enthusiasm the Gulf states have for experimentation and innovation – be it in developing the education systems, modern architecture, business or modern infrastructure. We could certainly use a bit of this enthusiasm and speed ourselves from time to time. Impressive projects are being pursued here. Naturally, German industry would also like to be part of these projects and to some degree it already is. I believe that German companies possess unique know-how and outstanding international experience in the areas in which Qatar plans to make substantial investments in the coming years. That is why we – and this is a firm desire on the part of the entire German Government – want to significantly strengthen our economic relations with this region. We are well on the way, but also know that there are many competitors. This competition is something we want to take part in, in a way that is fair, but of course also successful.

German industry’s great interest in this region is reflected in the business delegation accompanying me, which is taking part in intensive talks with the economics minister of Qatar at this very moment. I see this as a contribution to intensifying these relations. Allow me to mention just a few examples. Deutsche Bahn is partnering with Qatar to construct a new rail network, a project with a total volume of 17 billion euro. Since last summer, the Qatar Investment Authority has been the third largest investor in Volkswagen. This also shows that the projects are not one-way streets, but rather that together we have set our sights on major projects in Germany as well. I firmly believe that there are other good opportunities for investment in Germany as well. In March the Qatar Foundation and the German company SolarWorld agreed to jointly establish manufacturing facilities for polysilicon in Qatar. So we are looking beyond the oil and gas era. You can definitely say that there are many more sunny days here than in Germany. This is a good opportunity to combine the great technology we have to offer with the favourable conditions for applying it here.

This brings me to one of the key challenges of the future: overcoming climate change and using energy efficiently. Here Germany is a global leader. We have set the target of reducing carbon emissions by 40 percent compared to 1990 levels by 2020. This is a source of productive pressure because it is only by setting our own climate targets that we can confidently develop the technologies necessary to meet them. Time and again, we have seen that technical development can be accelerated if there is a market for what is being developed. This is one component of our energy strategy that has accelerated technical development considerably and it is also linked to excellent legislation on the introduction of renewable energies. We Germans will pursue renewable energies in many different forms, specifically in the areas of energy production and mobility. Here as well, there are bound to be interesting developments regarding hybrid technologies, electromobility and the use of natural gas as a fuel.

Today we know that, in light of the growing global population and the pace of development in many emerging economies, how we handle finite resources is bound to be a key issue. As essential as natural gas and oil are to the Gulf states, it is also important to think beyond this period because climate protection, energy efficiency, a cautious approach to the use of finite resources and curbing global conflicts are all closely linked. If we fail to find a reasonable way to handle finite resources, global conflicts will be accelerated and intensified. I believe it is extremely important for us to achieve stability. The desire for stability and for a solution to the political conflicts is understandably very strong in this region.

We have increasingly learned to solve global problems globally and it is necessary to continue along this path. One prime example of this is the G20 process, which got underway at Heads of State and Government level during the international financial and economic crisis and has already contributed substantially to overcoming this crisis. We know that no country, no region can remain unaffected by such crises in the era of globalization. Some have been affected more severely than others, but no one has been spared. That is why we resolved to combat the causes of this crisis. To do this we need worldwide regulation of the banking sector in order to prevent market excesses. Banks have a supporting function – they are supposed to aid the real economy so that it is able to develop. Ultimately destroying the markets through excess is not the function banks are supposed to fulfil. We made considerable progress when we reached an agreement on a global regulatory framework. But now in the implementa¬tion phase, we are called upon to swiftly put this regulation into practice on a global scale. We proceed according to the following principle: each financial product, every place and every actor must be subject to regulation so that we do not have an experi¬ence similar to the banking crisis in other areas.

As I said before, individual regions of the world have been affected to different degrees by this crisis. However it is safe to say that the European Union, the European continent, has experienced particularly adverse effects. Europe was not the source of this crisis, but Europe’s economic development has declined sharply as a result of the crisis. This is especially true for an export nation like Germany. Our GDP slumped by five percent. In the 60 years of its exis¬tence, the Federal Republic of Germany had never experienced a drop of this magnitude. That is why we must respond intelligently and resolutely to this crisis.

One of the points that is currently being discussed in great detail is the issue of the euro’s stability. Here I would like to state very clearly that as the common currency, the euro has been a recipe for success and will continue to be. We have professed our commitment to the stability of the euro. On behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany, I can say at this point that as an export nation – the majority of our exports continue to go to the European Union – naturally we have a particular interest in a stable common currency. That is why the members of the German Bundestag – there are four parliamentarians among us today – overwhelmingly agreed to create a safety net for the euro. We did this in order to make clear that the euro is our future.

The task at hand now is to counter the weakness of the euro by addressing the root cause. In this context, it is an encouraging signal that many member states of the European Union have undertaken to consolidate their high budget deficits with great determination. Following Portugal and Spain, as well as Greece’s pledge to implement considerable cuts and structural reforms, yesterday Italy presented an austerity programme. The Federal Republic of Germany will also reduce its deficit. During the crisis we passed a constitutional amendment setting a debt ceiling because we know that we cannot afford to spend now at the expense of our future. This is particularly important for Germany because we are an ageing society that is experiencing significant demographic changes. If we do not take the right precautions today, we will limit the opportunities of our children and grandchil¬dren.

I chose to address this here because we are sometimes criticized for wanting to save now and the same question continues to be raised: why won’t you help stimulate economic growth by increasing expenditures? I believe that we have to carry out structural reforms, we have to reduce bureaucracy, but we cannot live beyond our means and leave future generations to pay the bill. Making this statement here, in this country, is significant in its own way. Because the amount of debt we hold is equivalent to the credit you hold. To this extent, the starting points are very different. However, I think that is exactly why you will understand that it is important to us to avoid permanently living beyond our means – and this is precisely what we are doing if we continue to increase our deficit year after year.

Ladies and gentlemen, during the international economic and financial crisis we all experienced just how closely we are linked with one another. That is why we also have a common responsibility to resolve international political conflicts. In this region – and not only here but also at home in Germany – there is great interest in resolving the conflicts in the Middle East.

Of course the central conflict is the one between Israel and the Palestinians. Here I would like to state that Germany unequivocally supports a two-state solution consisting of a Jewish state Israel and a state for the Palestinians. We must do everything we can and pool our efforts to resolve this conflict. The Arab region has launched a number of interesting and important initiatives. I am grateful that most of the states in the Gulf region have continually and unambiguously encouraged the Palestinians to take part in talks, as difficult as they are, on resolving this conflict.

Germany will do all it can to ensure that this process succeeds. We will express our opinion to our friends in Israel as well as to our partners in the Palestinian territories. We will work to ensure that the current talks – the so-called proximity talks – which are unfortunately only indirect talks, can lead to direct talks. In light of the world’s many problems, it is high time to do everything in our power to come a bit closer to resolving the Middle East conflict. I know that many of you have been working on this for decades. But I believe that each political generation has a fresh responsibility to do what it can to achieve progress on this issue.

 If we advocate peaceful coexistence in this region, of course we cannot ignore the threat presented by the Iranian nuclear programme. Here in Qatar, in Doha, you could say we’re on Iran’s doorstep. Let me be clear on this issue as well: this conflict must be resolved peacefully and diplomatically. Germany also intends to contribute to these efforts. In our view, however, Iran is not demonstrating the necessary transparency, particularly towards the IAEA. That is why we are working to develop sanctions against Iran with the UN Security Council. It is a welcome development that following many long discussions, Russia and China have also taken on a very constructive role in this process and we have made major progress in develop¬ing sanctions.

Yet Iran should consider whether it wouldn’t be much better to just accept the international community’s offers for peaceful and beneficial joint development. This would require transparency though. Because we have a very clear goal – under no circumstances can Iran be allowed to develop nuclear weapons. I think we agree to the fullest possible extent on this point.

During my talks yesterday there was another conflict, another concern, that featured prominently – namely the developments in Yemen. The escalation of the clashes in northern Yemen, the numerous abductions – also of German citizens, the failed terrorist attack on a passenger plane en route to Detroit on 25 December 2009 – all of this demonstrates that the problems in Yemen have consequences that extend far beyond the country itself. I agree with all the leaders here in the region: Yemen’s stability is absolutely essential to regional security, as well as to fighting international terrorism.

Another conflict that threatens everyone involved in global trade is piracy off the coast of Somalia. The threat it presents to global trade via the international shipping routes is astonish¬ing and grave. That is why it is good that we are combating this activity through a joint mission, in which China is also taking part for the first time. Because free trade, as was already well known during the times that produced the exhibits in this museum, is important for the positive development of the global economy. This is as true today as it was back then.

However, I think we agree that we cannot limit ourselves to battling the pirates at sea. What we have to do, first and foremost, is combat the underlying causes of piracy. Here the first priority has to be restoring at least a minimum of public order in Somalia. The African Union and the United Nations have assumed a leading role in this regard. But this conflict, too, is still awaiting a solution. I would explicitly like to thank Qatar’s political leaders for their efforts to resolve these conflicts. For our part, Germany is supporting the training of Somali security forces in Uganda.

I generally believe that the international community, especially the European Union member states and Germany, can play a special role in supporting the basic and further training of security forces. We cannot and do not want to be present in all regions of the world, but we are willing and able to help others help themselves. The African continent and the African Union in particular ought to be thus empowered to be a focus here.

Special attention should be given to Iraq as well. Today the country has great potential to become a strong and constructive partner in the region. Parliamentary elections were held in Iraq on 7 March 2010. The fact that the elections were largely peaceful should be seen as a success. There is hope that the country will achieve further stabilization. And yet, it is neces¬sary to admit that the process of forming a government has been extremely difficult and that the country’s stability has not yet been secured to a sufficient extent. I believe that the prospect of close regional cooperation is the best condition for the country’s successful reconstruction. There are many areas that offer opportunities for such cooperation: refugee issues, energy policy, maritime security or the use of water. I am positive that not only Iraq, but also the entire region would profit considerably from closer regional cooperation.

Ladies and gentlemen, stability and economic prosperity are and will remain the best resources for nipping extremism and terrorism in the bud. In refusing education and science, in rejecting the modern development of societies, terrorists’ behaviour is not just backward, but downright inhumane. That is why I believe two things are necessary for countering terrorism. First, we have to work together to ensure that terrorist networks cannot expand and find new supporters. We must work within the framework of the United Nations to eliminate the financial basis of these networks once and for all. Second, we have to give people in disadvan¬taged areas of the world viable prospects. They need support in order to provide for their families and to be able to give their children a future. This is the only way we win them over for a path of freedom, peace and tolerance.

These principles also guide our engagement in Afghanistan – a further problem area that pre¬sents a policy-making challenge. It is our firm conviction that development and security have to go hand in hand. This means that military action alone will never offer the prospect of resolving the conflicts in Afghanistan. Instead reconstruction and security must be guaranteed. To achieve this goal, we will effectively double our civilian assistance for the Afghan people by increasing it to 430 million euro in the coming years. I know that there are many initiatives stemming from the Gulf region aimed at providing assistance and support to Afghanistan. Germany will intensify its efforts to train Afghan security forces. To this end, we will send an additional 500 soldiers to Afghanistan.

Of course it is also important to us to strengthen cooperation with Afghanistan’s neighbours because relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan in particular are the key to peaceful development in Afghanistan. I can see the Gulf states doing perhaps even more in the future. They enjoy very high credibility in the region due to their historical ties. It is important that we assist Afghanistan on the path to stable development.

From a German perspective, it is clear that we would not expose our soldiers and police officers, who are working alongside our partners to enable the Afghans to provide their own security, to such great danger if we were not certain that the efforts are worthwhile in terms of helping to give Afghanistan the prospect of peace and stability. You all know – because you are much more familiar with the region – that Afghanistan is actually much closer than it often seems and that it is closely linked to issues in Pakistan, Iran and other places.

Ladies and gentlemen, stabilizing Afghanistan, Iraq and Yemen, combating international terrorism – these are areas where we could use more intensive dialogue between Germany and the Gulf states. We find ourselves confronted with new forms of conflict that history has never seen before. Terrorism is a challenge that differs from the challenges of the Cold War, for example, in that followers who subscribe to terrorism are prepared to sacrifice both their own life and the lives of others. It is therefore important, given our different approaches, to have a dialogue on how we should resolve such conflicts. Without this neither you in the Gulf region nor we in Europe will be able to bring about peaceful and stable development.

With all of this in mind, I would like to very openly call for intercultural and inter-religious dialogue. This is an area where more could be done. Knowledge on both sides could be improved. In Germany, as in Europe, Muslims make up the second-largest religious community after Christians. Many of the Muslims in Germany are third-generation immigrants. They have German citizenship and actively shape our society – in business, media, political parties and, last but not least, on our national football team, who, after all, serve as role models for many people.

I view these social developments as major progress. Allow me to state very clearly: for too long, Germany viewed the Muslims from Turkey as guest workers who would leave at some point. Now we understand that they are part of our society and that integration is a key task. Integrating into a society requires respect and tolerance. Integration is not a one-way street for those who moved to our country; integration also requires open-mindedness from those who have lived in the country a long time.

I would like for us to share our experiences to a greater degree through a joint dialogue. And I also hope that Christians in primarily Muslim countries are invited to take part in such a dialogue, just as we invite Muslims living in our primarily Christian country to participate.

A constant issue is preserving traditions and values on the one hand, and on the other hand, learning to approach one another with an open mind. In my opinion, this is not contradictory. At the same time, I do not want to hide that it remains a major challenge for societies. It is exactly this awareness of one’s own cultural development and the reassertion of one’s own values that support us and also give us the strength to venture out into previously unknown territory, to talk more with one another rather than about one another, to ask questions, to research and learn new things, to share new experiences with each other.

I would like to close my speech by expressing the hope that Germany and the Gulf states, working in even more intensive partnership, will become knowledge societies and that our two regions will go beyond the mere exchange of goods and industrial products to cultivate cultural dialogue as well. We would serve as an example and others would look at us and say, "See, it is possible for the world to grow closer together."

On this note, I would like to thank you for the hospitality I have experienced here at this wonderful museum as well as for the hospitality we have been shown by Qatar and the entire Gulf region.

Thank you very much.