Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07DOHA556
2007-05-24 14:05:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Doha
Cable title:
QATAR STRONGLY HINTS IT WON'T SUPPORT THE SPECIAL
how-toVZCZCXRO5559 OO RUEHDE RUEHDIR DE RUEHDO #0556 1441405 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 241405Z MAY 07 FM AMEMBASSY DOHA TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6666 INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT IMMEDIATE 0372 RUEHDM/AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS IMMEDIATE 1227 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 1312
C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 000556
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC LE SY QA
SUBJECT: QATAR STRONGLY HINTS IT WON'T SUPPORT THE SPECIAL
TRIBUNAL ON LEBANON
REF: STATE 070478
Classified By: Ambassador Chase Untermeyer, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 000556
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC LE SY QA
SUBJECT: QATAR STRONGLY HINTS IT WON'T SUPPORT THE SPECIAL
TRIBUNAL ON LEBANON
REF: STATE 070478
Classified By: Ambassador Chase Untermeyer, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) During Gulf Security Dialogue discussions in Doha May
24, Acting PM A/S Mull expressed the hope that Qatar would
vote for the UN Security Council resolution establishing the
Hariri Tribunal under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter. Qatari
MFA Assistant Minister Mohammad al-Rumeihi replied, "We will
try our best to do so." But later he said, "We are rotating
around (i.e. contemplating) abstaining." He worried that
adoption of such a resolution might cause some Lebanese
factions to fight: "If we vote for it, we'll be attacked by
all other Arab powers, from Morocco to Oman. They would say
that if an Arab member of the Security Council votes for it,
and a civil war results, we will have to take
responsibility." He said GOQ prefers new parliamentary
elections to resolve the current governmental deadlock,
keeping a Chapter 7 resolution as a final option.
2. (C) Amb. Mull recognized the delicacy of the situation for
Qatar but said that USG believes that stability in Lebanon
would be best served by doing what PM Siniora wants, which is
to have the Tribunal created. NEA DAS Gordon Gray said Qatar
supports a strong central government in Lebanon, and Siniora
is the democratically-elected head of government. The
assassination of Hariri occurred over two years ago, he said,
and the situation cannot wait till new parliamentary
elections in November.
3. (C) Al-Rumeihi concluded this discussion by agreeing that
Hariri's death was a crime. "But we have to know how to save
Lebanon. I don't want to link both. If there is a link, we
are allergic to that."
UNTERMEYER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/24/2017
TAGS: PREL PTER UNSC LE SY QA
SUBJECT: QATAR STRONGLY HINTS IT WON'T SUPPORT THE SPECIAL
TRIBUNAL ON LEBANON
REF: STATE 070478
Classified By: Ambassador Chase Untermeyer, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) During Gulf Security Dialogue discussions in Doha May
24, Acting PM A/S Mull expressed the hope that Qatar would
vote for the UN Security Council resolution establishing the
Hariri Tribunal under Chapter 7 of the UN Charter. Qatari
MFA Assistant Minister Mohammad al-Rumeihi replied, "We will
try our best to do so." But later he said, "We are rotating
around (i.e. contemplating) abstaining." He worried that
adoption of such a resolution might cause some Lebanese
factions to fight: "If we vote for it, we'll be attacked by
all other Arab powers, from Morocco to Oman. They would say
that if an Arab member of the Security Council votes for it,
and a civil war results, we will have to take
responsibility." He said GOQ prefers new parliamentary
elections to resolve the current governmental deadlock,
keeping a Chapter 7 resolution as a final option.
2. (C) Amb. Mull recognized the delicacy of the situation for
Qatar but said that USG believes that stability in Lebanon
would be best served by doing what PM Siniora wants, which is
to have the Tribunal created. NEA DAS Gordon Gray said Qatar
supports a strong central government in Lebanon, and Siniora
is the democratically-elected head of government. The
assassination of Hariri occurred over two years ago, he said,
and the situation cannot wait till new parliamentary
elections in November.
3. (C) Al-Rumeihi concluded this discussion by agreeing that
Hariri's death was a crime. "But we have to know how to save
Lebanon. I don't want to link both. If there is a link, we
are allergic to that."
UNTERMEYER