1. A computer-implementable method for optimizing a structured query language (SQL) statement, comprising: performing a region division SQL statement rewrite operation on the SQL statement, the region division SQL statement rewrite operation identifying a plurality of SQL statement regions; specifying a rewrite focus, the rewrite focus providing an indication of a particular amount of resource to be expended on a particular SQL statement region performing a region preferential SQL statement optimization operation with focus on each of the plurality of SQL statement regions based upon the indication of the particular amount of resource to be expended on the particular SQL statement region, the SQL statement optimization operation recursively performing a rewrite optimization on each of the plurality of SQL statement regions according to the specified rewrite focus.