Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DOHA1073
2007-11-15 15:03:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Doha
Cable title:  

GCC FOREIGN MINISTERS PREPARE FOR UPCOMING SUMMIT

Tags:  PREL PGOV GCC QA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7358
PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHDIR RUEHKUK
DE RUEHDO #1073 3191503
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 151503Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7253
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 001073 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GCC QA
SUBJECT: GCC FOREIGN MINISTERS PREPARE FOR UPCOMING SUMMIT


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael A. Ratney,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 001073

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/14/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV GCC QA
SUBJECT: GCC FOREIGN MINISTERS PREPARE FOR UPCOMING SUMMIT


Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Michael A. Ratney,
for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).


1. (C) The Foreign Ministers of the GCC member states met in
Doha November 11 to discuss the agenda for the heads of state
summit, scheduled to take place in Doha December 3-4. Omani
DCM Salim Abdulla Al-Alawi told Charge and P/E Chief November
14 that it appeared certain King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
would attend the summit. Otherwise, Al-Alawi observed that
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal would not have
represented the Kingdom at the November 11 preparatory
meeting. Bahraini First Secretary Ibrahim Ahmed Mubarak
Al-Ameeri, also present for the discussion, agreed with
Al-Alawi's analysis.


2. (C) Talk on the diplomatic circuit in Doha is that King
Abdullah will travel to Doha for the summit and announce the
return of a Saudi ambassador to Qatar. Saud Abukishk, a
long-time businessman in Qatar who was close friends with the
previous Saudi ambassador, told P/E Chief in late October
that he believed the posting of a Saudi ambassador would
occur by year's end. Al-Hayat reporter Mohamed Mekki, who
has exercised his profession in Doha for about a decade, told
P/E Chief at Saudi national day in October that confidential
sources ad told him King Abdullah wanted to signal a thaw n
bilateral relations by filling the vacancy. Tere has been
no Saudi ambassador to Qatar since 2002. iyadh's decision
to withdraw its ambassado occurred at a period of time when
senior Saudi fficials perceived that Al-Jazeera's coverage
ofSaudi Arabia was overly critical.


3. (C) Al-Alwi and Al-Ameeri, asked for their insights into
the agenda for the December summit, indicated that many of
the key decisions on the agenda were postponed until the
Foreign Ministers' next preparatory meeting, December 1-2,
immediately prior to the meeting of heads of state. Both
diplomats said it was certain that Iran, Iraq and the
Palestinian issue would be on the agenda. Less clear were
the "lesser issues" the GCC heads of state would discuss in
Doha. In their view, the most problematic major agenda item
would be Iran. Al-Alawi hinted that the Foreign Ministers in
their November 11 meeting agreed only on one issue on Iran:
to take up the Iranian question again at their December
meeting. Key to their next discussion, according to
Al-Alawi, would be the upcoming IAEA report, which in his
view would likely define the parameters of the December 3-4
discussions in Doha.
RATNEY