King to Open the Arab-Asian Summit for New Economic Leaderships

Amman
23 February 2004

His Majesty King Abdullah II, will open on Tuesday at the Malaysian Island of Langkawi, deliberations of the Arab-Asian Summit for New Economic Leaderships, in the presence of members of the New Asian Economic Leaderships Association, the Arab Business Council and a number of figures representing the Jordanian economic sector.



His Majesty will also present certificates to the founding members of the association in a dinner banquet in which the King, deputy president of the association, president of the association and the executive president of the World Economic Forum, will deliver speeches.



The King will deliver before the participants a speech on Wednesday in which he will review scopes of cooperation between the New Asian Leaderships Association and the Arab Business Council.


King Abdullah will also meet in the same day, with representatives of Asian telecommunications and information technology industries as well as representatives of the Asian industry sector.


The new Asian leaderships began their deliberations on Monday by discussing the charter that determines their work as well as details of the plan that aims at establishing a unified vision for the Asian business community, which includes the implementation of certain projects in the fields of education, IT and joint projects.


President of the Association, Finud Sicher and President of the Arab Business Council, Shafiq Gibrim will officially announce in the last day of the summit, the plan before it is delivered to His Majesty.


In a statement to the Jordanian media taking part in the summit, Sicher said that the Asian and Arab world groups, used to look at the West as a source for technology and investment, but time has come for both parties to cooperate especially that Asians are interested in investments.


He stressed the Majesty's role as a catalyst and a source of inspiration
for the two groups to meet for the first time.


Sicher said that the goal that the King seeks to achieve, is one of action, and the achievements of results. "We are confident that, with His Majesty's leadership and with the goodwill of those people, substantial results will be achieved," he added.