Council Co-Sponsors Third Qatar Conference on Democracy and Free Trade in Doha

April 9, 2003 - The Council will co-sponsor the Third Qatar Conference on Democracy and Free Trade on April 14-15, in Doha with the Islamic Institute, the University of Qatar and the Qatari Chamber of Commerce. A delegation of l2 U.S. Congressmen will participate in the conference along with several distinguished Council scholars, members and corporate members. Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa al Thani, The Emir of the State of Qatar, will give the keynote address.

The Council will host a panel on Building Institutions for Economic Development and Free Trade in the region. Panelists will be Odeh Aburdene, Managing Director, Capital Trust Group; Edward M. Gabriel, former Ambassador to Morocco; David Ignatius, Associate Editor and Op-Ed columnist, the Washington Post; Peter Ghavami, Director, PaineWebber, Inc.; and Council Senior Fellow Joseph Siegle. Judith Kipper, Director of the Council’s Middle East Forum, will preside. Rachel Bronson, Director, Middle East Studies; Lawrence Korb, Director of National Security Studies; and Senior Fellow Ambassador Richard Murphy will also participate.

Members of Congress attending the Third Qatar Conference:

Established in 1921, the Council on Foreign Relations is a nonpartisan membership organization, publisher, and think tank, dedicated to increasing America’s understanding of the world and contributing ideas to U.S. foreign policy. The Council accomplishes this mainly by promoting constructive debates and discussions, clarifying world issues, and publishing Foreign Affairs, the leading journal on global issues.

Contact: Lisa Shields, Vice President, Communications, (212) 434-9888