January 26, 2007, 11:24 am Peres's Message To Gulf Leaders Misfires Badly
It should have been one of those Davos moments, when divisions heal, common ground is found, and heads nods sagely in agreement over a grand vision. It didn't quite work out like that.
Shimon Peres, Israel's former prime minister, arrived unexpectedly and late for a tight-knit lunch session entitled "The Gulf States As An Emerging Hub." The diners? Gulf leaders, including the central bank governor of Bahrain, the head of Saudi Arabia's Supreme Economic Council and the chief executive of Dubai International Capital, Sameer Al-Ansari. Given the task of handling the table conversations was Kenneth Costa, vice-chairman of UBS's investment bank. The talks at the tables centered on capital flows in the region and so forth. Before Mr. Costa asked the tables to summarize their views, he invited Peres to speak for a couple of minutes, at the Israeli's request.
It started in traditional Davos style - Gulf nations are "pioneers of their own wealth", a region of entrepreneurs, etc. But then it drifted into the Israel-Palestine conflict, before alighting upon Iran: "I believe you wouldn't like to see Iran have a bomb ... because they are fanatics," Mr. Peres then added that one consequence of Iran having a nuclear bomb is "a war for the rest of the world." And with that, he and his minders up and left the room. Cue pause. Then uproar.
Kamel Lazaar, president and CEO of Geneva-based Saudi bank Swicorp Investment Bank, captured the fury of almost everyone in the room: "It isn't appropriate behavior to give his party-political broadcast and leave. It's not acceptable, and it's a shame," Mr. Lazaar said. Others were apoplectic, declaring a formal complaint will be lodged with the World Economic Forum's organizers. A chastened Mr. Costa said he'd reflect the sentiments back to the forum. And Mr. Peres? Blissfully unaware of the tiny diplomatic step back on the rocky path to peace in the Middle East. - Adam Smallman