CODEL BOYD MEETING OCTOBER 5 WITH QATARI HEIR

UNCLAS DOHA 000982

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV QA
SUBJECT: CODEL BOYD MEETING OCTOBER 5 WITH QATARI HEIR
APPARENT SHEIKH TAMIM



1. (SBU) A congressional delegation led by Rep. Allen Boyd of
Florida, and accompanied by charge, met Qatar's Heir
Apparent, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, October 5 in Doha.
In addition to Boyd, the Delegation included Rep. Roger
Wicker of Mississippi, Rep. Wayne Gilchrist of Maryland, Rep.
Betty Sutton of Ohio, and Rep. Stephen Cohen of Tennessee.
Sheikh Tamim was joined by his sister, Sheikha Hind bint
Hamad Al Thani, his office director, Sheikh Khalid bin
Khalifa, and Amb. Abdulla Jaber of the Qatari Foreign
Ministry. The two sides shared views on Iraq, Iran, and
U.S.-Qatar relations.


2. (SBU) Sheikh Tamim called U.S.-Qatar relations very good
"in several sectors," singling out our military relationship.
He said over the past few years, the U.S. and Qatar have not
agreed on everything, "but that's normal, and as a friend
Qatar will tell (the U.S.) what we believe, what we think is
right and wrong. The U.S. and Qatar are all in the same boat
and we must stick together." Rep. Wicker noted that this was
his first trip to Qatar and appreciated the friendship Qatar
has shown. He commented that Qatar is in a "very interesting
neighborhood" and solicited Sheikh Tamim's assessment of the
situation in Iraq since the start of the surge. Rep. Wicker
also remarked that Qatar maintains relations with Israel and
asked for Sheikh Tamim's views of the prospects for
Israeli-Palestinian peace.


3. (SBU) Tamim responded that Qatar believes that peace with
Israel is the only solution and that people in the region are
starting to understand that progress in the peace process
requires relations with Israel. This, he said, is what Qatar
has done and what other countries should do as well. Whether
or not they agree with Israel, he said, the whole region
should negotiate with Israel.


4. (SBU) Regarding Iraq, Tamim said the violence is down, but
there is a long way to go. The solution is ultimately in
Iraqi hands. But if U.S. troops pull out quickly, "Iran will
come in." Tamim said it was a positive development that the
U.S. is now "talking to the tribes" since earning tribal
support is critical to reducing violence. The key, he said,
is to win the hearts and minds of the Iraqis, which will
cause support for foreign fighters to dry up.


5. (SBU) Rep. Sutton said she shares Tamim's view that the
unity of Iraq will be determined by the Iraqis, but asked
Tamim how to go about winning Iraqi hearts and minds. The
Iraqis, Tamim responded, want to see economic development and
need to fulfill their basic needs - see their sons and
daughters go to school, be healthy. In this regard, he said
it is partly the responsibility of the Gulf countries to help.


6. (SBU) Sheikh Tamim suggested that the U.S. didn't listen
to its friends back in 2002; if they had many things could
have been different. Rep. Gilchrist commented that the U.S.
Congress has a lot of influence on U.S. foreign policy and an
important way for Qatari views to be heard is through
Congress, agreeing that the U.S. should lend a more open ear
to Qatari views.


7. (SBU) Rep. Cohen asked how long it will be before Sunnis
and Shia can get along with one another. Tamim said one
problem is the government of Iraq. Control of the government
does not lie in Iraqi hands, he said, but elsewhere (implying
Iran). Tamim said there have been Shia in Qatar for 70 or 80
years, and "like in Kuwait and Bahrain (sic) they have lived
here without problems." But Iraq, he said, is different.
The divide, however, is not a religious one, and the violence
is not a civil war. Rather, it is outside powers fighting
one another. Americans, Tamim said, came to Iraq and
concentrated on building democracy. Caveating that "Qatar is
100 percent in favor of democracy," he said Iraq first needs
a government that can save Iraq, before it begins to move
towards democracy.


8. (SBU) Asked by Rep. Wicker about the Qatari Government's
relationship to Al Jazeera, Tamim said the GOQ funds the
network but it is run by an independent board. Al Jazeera is
a reflection of Qatar's commitment to freedom of speech and
"no one can close it." Tamim commented that some countries,
particularly Jordan, are "saying bad things (to the U.S.)
about Qatar and, in particular, criticizing Al Jazeera. But
Qatar is committed to freedom of speech, so Al Jazeera is
something "they need to accept."


9. (SBU) Tamim explained to Rep. Wicker that although Qatar
totally disagrees with Iran regarding development of nuclear
weapons, Qatar shares with Iran its major natural gas field
and so must have "normal" relations. Qatar is worried about
Iran's development of nuclear weapons but believes the issue

must be resolved diplomatically. If not, he said, "God knows
what will happen." War, he said, "would create big problems
for the region - including Israel."


10. (U) Codel Boyd did not have an opportunity to clear this
cable.
RATNEY