International Conference
“Europe and the Arab World –
Connecting Partners in Dialogue”
Joint Initiative of Austria and the League of Arab States
Vienna, 17-19 December 2008
List of Participants
Representatives of States, League of Arab States and European Commission
Austria H.E. Michael Spindelegger, Federal Minister for European and International Affairs, Co-Chair
League of Arab States H.E. Amre Moussa, Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Co-Chair
Algeria H.E. Souad Bendjaballah, Minister Delegate for Scientific Research
Bahrain H.E. Karim Al-Shakar, AmbassadoratLarge, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Belgium H.E. Cristina Funes-Noppen, Ambassador of Belgium in Vienna
Bulgaria H.E. Rodion Popov, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs
Cyprus H.E. Markos Kyprianou, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Cyprus
Czech Republic H.E. Karel Schwarzenberg, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Denmark H.E. Arnold de Fine Skibsted, Human Rights Ambassador, Ministry for Foreign Affairs
Egypt H.E. Farouk Hosni, Minister of Culture
Estonia H.E. Urmas Paet, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Finland H.E. Teemu Tanner, Director General for Africa and the Middle East, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
France H.E. Denis Simonneau, Chief of Cabinet of the Minister of State for European Affairs
Germany H.E. Heidrun Tempel, Ambassador, Special Representative for Dialogue among Civilisations, FederalForeign Office
Greece H.E. Kelly Bourdara, Special Adviser to the Foreign Minister on Women Empowerment Affairs
Hungary H.E. Kinga Göncz, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Iraq H.E. Wijdan Salim, Minister of Human Rights
Italy Dr. Daniele Perico, Chargé d’Affairs, Italian Embassy in Vienna
Jordan H.E. Salah Bashir, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Kuwait H.E. Fawzi Abdulaziz Al-Jasem, Ambassador of Kuwait in Vienna
Latvia H.E. Eriks Zunda, Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Lebanon H.E. Ishaya El-Khoury, Ambassador of Lebanon in Vienna
Libya H.E. Omar Gadallah Aloukali, Director for Arab Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Lithuania H.E. Giedrius Puodziunas, Ambassador of Lithuania in Vienna
Luxembourg H.E. Nicolas Schmit, Minister Delegate for Foreign Affairs
Malta H.E. Tonio Borg, LL.D., Minister of Foreign Affairs
Morocco H.E. Taieb Fassi Fihri; Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
Netherlands H.E. Henriette van Lynden, Director for the Middle East, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Oman H.E. Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Palestine H.E. Riyad Al-Malki, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Information
Poland H.E. Witold Sobków, Political Director, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Portugal H.E. Maria Teresa Goncalves Ribeiro, Secretary of State for European Affairs
Qatar H.E. Khaled Bin Mohammad Al-Atiya, State Minister for International Cooperation
Romania H.E. Lazăr Comănescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs
Saudi Arabia H.E. Nizar Obeid Madani, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Slovakia H.E. Diana Štrofova, State Secretary for Foreign Affairs
Slovenia H.E. Mitja Drobnič, Director General, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Spain H.E. Miguel Ángel Moratinos Cuyaubé, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation
Sudan H.E. Ali Ahmed Karti, State Minister of Foreign Affairs
Sweden H.E. Hans Lundborg, Ambassador of Sweden in Vienna
Syria H.E. Buthayna Shaaban, Minister, Political and Media Advisor
Tunisia H.E. Abdelhafidh Herguem, Secretary of State for Maghreb, Arab and African Affairs
Turkey H.E. Prof. Ahmet Davutoğlu, Chief Foreign Policy Advisor of the Prime Minister
United Arab Emirates H.E. Abdul Rahman Mohammed Al-Owais, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development
Yemen H.E. Abu Bakr Abdullah Al-Qirbi, Minister of Foreign Affairs
European Commission H.E. Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy
Guest Speakers
H.R.H. Prince Turki Al-Faisal King Faisal Centre for Research and Islamic Studies, Saudi Arabia
H.E. Prof. Mohammed Arkoun Emeritus, Sorbonne, Paris, Algeria/France
H.E. Hanan Ashrawi Member of the Palestinian Legislative Council
H.E. Safwat El-Bayiadi Evangelical Synod of the Nile, President of the Middle East Council of Churches for the Evangelical Family, Egypt
H.E. Sheikh Dr. Ahmad
Badreddine Hassoun Grand Mufti of Syria
H.E. Prof. Gilles Kepel Political Scientist, France
H.E. Yousriya Loza Sawiris Founder and Secretary-General of the Sawiris Foundation, Egypt
H.E. Archbishop Boulos Matar Maronite Archbishop of Beirut, Lebanon
H.E. Bishop Antoine Odo President of the Chaldean Bishops of Syria
H.E. Christoph Cardinal
Schönborn Archbishop of Vienna
H.E. Anas Shakfeh President of the Islamic Religious Community in Austria
H.E. Luc van den Brande President of the European Union's Committee of the Regions, Belgium