U.S. Department of State
95/10/29 Remarks at Qatari-Palestinian Investment Fund
Office of the Spokesman


                        U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 
                        Office of the Spokesman 
 
                            (Amman, Jordan) 
___________________________________________________________________ 
For Immediate Release                              October 29, 1995 
 
 
                              REMARKS BY  
                 SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER 
                       DURING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF 
                 THE QATARI-PALESTINIAN INVESTMENT FUND 
 
                            Marriott Hotel 
                             Amman, Jordan 
 
 
 
FOREIGN MINISTER OF QATAR SHEIKH HAMAD BIN JASSIM BIN JABER AL THANI:  
Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. President Arafat, Mr. Secretary of State 
Christopher, it is our pleasure to be here to announce a new company, Al 
Sallam Company, which is being done with share holders from Qatar and 
from Palestinian share holders and from the other Arabs willing to come. 
This company has the capital of 250 million dollars of which already 25 
million dollars is already secured. The purpose of this company, it's 
the belief of my company and my people in Qatar and his highness Al Amir 
Sheikh Hamad ben Khalifeh, that this company will participate in the 
peace process.  It will implement what we have been talking about for a 
few years now after the Madrid Conference.  It will encourage both the 
Palestinians and others to gain from peace. This is part of it.  As I 
introduce this company here, and announce it, I would like to thank all 
the people here, especially President Arafat, and Mr. Secretary Warren 
Christopher, that they are here to share with us this moment, and I hope 
that this is the first time and the not the last.  Thank you very much. 
(applause) 
 
 
CHAIRMAN YASSER ARAFAT:  We have to thank His Excellency.  Please convey 
to your Amir, the Sheikh of Qatar our thanks for what he's doing, 
especially for the Palestinians, and not only for the Palestinians.  It 
is a great push for the peace process and we are welcoming this very 
important step which will encourage others in the same line, for the 
sake of not only the Palestinians, but for the sake of the whole region. 
I am very happy that His Excellency Mr. Christopher is participating 
with us in this moment because we can't forget that His Excellency 
President Clinton was pushing in all directions to help the Palestinians 
and to help the peace process, which we cannot forget.  Again, we have 
to thank Your Excellency for what you have mentioned, and what you have 
declared, and also convey to my brother Sheikh Al Amir of Qatar my best 
wishes and regards and thanks.  We hope that we will continue in this 
attitude on many levels by all means.  I hope that what has been done by 
Your Excellency, by your country will be a very important signal for all 
of us to follow up with all our capacity, to push the peace process and 
to let our people feel the strong foundation and the benefit of the 
peace process.  Again, I have to thank you from my heart to what you 
have mentioned and what you have declared.  I also thank His Excellency 
Mr. Secretary Christopher for insisting and accepting to participate 
with us in this very important moment to declare this very important 
declaration.  Thank you again.  I have to thank you not only by myself, 
by my name, but by the name of all our people.  Please convey to His 
Excellency again Sheikh Hamad best wishes and best regards from his 
brother Yasser Arafat and from the Palestinian people, many thanks.  May 
I offer this to Your Excellency, what we had prepared for investment in 
Palestine as a start.  (applause) 

 
SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: I'm just delighted to be here with the Chairman 
and the Foreign Minister to note this extraordinary positive  occasion.  
Qatar has long been a very strong supporter of the peace process 
especially in their support to the Palestinians.  I think this event 
today with the establishment of this considerably sized fund is a very 
good indication indeed.  I think it's a model of a kind of support that 
can be given to the Palestinians. I hope other people will see in it a 
model they want to emulate.  The working relationship that is developing 
here is a very ideal one.  I thank them, and I really want to commend 
them for what they have achieved.  Stepping forward by the Government of 
Qatar, as well as the willingness of the Chairman to respond to the way 
he did. The courage that he has had to move the peace process forward 
really deserves recognition, the kind of recognition that was given by 
this day's event.  As a co-sponsor it is appropriate for me to be here 
and to congratulate both of them, and to congratulate the peoples of 
both of their entities for the result that has been achieved by the 
establishment of this very considerable fund. Congratulations and thank 
you for letting me participate.  
 
(Applause)