Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DOHA278
2008-04-06 14:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Doha
Cable title:  

QATAR'S MINISTER OF STATE OFFERS VIEWS ON GCC+2

Tags:  PREL KWBG KPAL QA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO4564
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHDO #0278/01 0971417
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 061417Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7798
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000278 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2018
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL QA
SUBJECT: QATAR'S MINISTER OF STATE OFFERS VIEWS ON GCC+2
AND THE REGION

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 SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000278

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/06/2018
TAGS: PREL KWBG KPAL QA
SUBJECT: QATAR'S MINISTER OF STATE OFFERS VIEWS ON GCC+2
AND THE REGION

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


1. (C) Summary: Minister of State for Foreign Affairs
Al-Mahmoud encouraged NEA A/S Welch over lunch April 1 to
proceed with current U.S. thinking on the GCC 2 summit and
urged him to include a discussion of Kosovo on the agenda.
He described Qatar's relations with Saudi Arabia as "good"
following Prince Sultan's recent visit, expressed
disappointment at the Lebanese cabinet's decision to prohibit
the prime minister from attending the Arab League Summit, and
said Qatar would like to see a thaw in Algerian-Moroccan
relations. Al-Mahmoud stressed the need for Palestinian
unity, especially if a lasting agreement with Israel is to
succeed; favored engagement with Hamas; and encouraged
support for moderates as a means to undermine extremists. He
also said Qatar would take a look at providing financial
support to Iraqi refugees in Jordan and Syria, but that the
Iraqi government should also contribute to the well-being of
these displaced citizens. End Summary.


2. (C) Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed
Al-Mahmoud, joined by Qatar's Ambassador-designate to the
U.S., Ali bin Fahad Al-Hajri, hosted a working lunch April 1
for NEA Assistant Secretary David Welch. Charge, P/E Chief,
and NEA Staff Assistant also attended. A/S Welch outlined
for Al-Mahmoud U.S. ideas for strengthening and
institutionalizing the GCC 2 dialogue. At the next GCC 2
meeting, he suggested releasing a joint statement that would
focus on relations and principles, as opposed to the
discussions themselves on all regional issues "without
exception," and sought Al-Mahmoud's advice. Without directly
addressing relations and principles, Al-Mahmoud responded
that a "general statement" focused on the topics of
discussions, but without details, struck him as a good idea.
Al-Mahmoud added that the statement should reiterate that the
participants have not changed their position on any issues.
He warned A/S Welch that the UAE would want to address
Iranian territorial claims on islands in the Gulf, and the
U.S. should be prepared for this issue, which A/S Welch noted
the UAE successfully raised at the recent Arab League Summit

in Damascus.

--------------
SAUDI ARABIA, LEBANON, AND NORTH AFRICA
--------------


3. (C) Asked about Qatar's relationship with Saudi Arabia
following the Saudi Crown Prince's recent visit, Al-Mahmoud
said the relationship was now "good," and Prince Sultan left
"happy." Turning to the recent Summit in Syria, Al-Mahmoud
said it was a mistake for the Lebanese Prime Minister not to
attend. Al-Mahmoud told A/S Welch, "He would have shown
himself as a legitimate leader" and should have taken full
advantage of the opportunity to deliver from Damascus a
televised speech, which the Syrians themselves would have
been obliged to broadcast. Al-Mahmoud said the Lebanese
cabinet's decision in this regard was unfortunate. On the
Maghreb, Al-Mahmoud told A/S Welch Qatar would like to see
improved Algerian-Moroccan relations because, absent a thaw,
"the situation in North African will remain frozen" in time
and place. A/S Welch responded by noting that if Secretary
Rice at some point travels to North Africa, she may try to
organize a meeting of regional foreign ministers.

--------------
PALESTINIAN SITUATION
--------------


4. (C) Al-Mahmoud, referencing overnight press reports that
President Abbas had acknowledged that all issues, including
Jerusalem, were under discussion with Israel, asked A/S Welch
to elaborate. A/S Welch said Israeli FM Livni and her
Palestinian counterpart, Abu Alaa, were meeting 2-3 times
weekly with no publicity and that the U.S. was urging quick
movement toward a complete agreement with intermediate steps
to be taken by both parties. A/S Welch said the very fact we
have negotiations in 2008, unlike 2007, is a good sign.
Maintaining calm in Gaza, though, is essential to keeping the
discussion on track. If Egypt will reduce smuggling and
control its part of the border, Israel has said it could ease
up on the closure of Gaza. The other essential ingredient,
continued A/S Welch, is for Palestinian rocket attacks to
stop. Egypt would continue to address these issues with
Hamas.


5. (C) Al-Mahmoud noted that Qadhafi urged Palestinian unity
at the Arab League Summit, and in this case he was right.
A/S Welch cautioned that the U.S. and Europe would not react
positively if Abbas moves to open discussions with Hamas.
Israel wants security. Al-Mahmoud countered that Arafat did
what the international community requested of him by

DOHA 00000278 002 OF 002


recognizing and negotiating with Israel, but he died under
siege. Al-Mahmoud said there is an expression in Arabic, "If
you don't get everything, don't lose everything." He said
this had been the mistake on the Palestinian side.
Al-Mahmoud said building up moderates is essential to
success. If the impasse continues, there will be more
extremism on both sides.

--------------
RECOGNIZING KOSOVO
--------------


6. (C) Turning to the Balkans, A/S Welch asked Al-Mahmoud to
explain the Arab approach on Kosovo. Noting no Arab state
had recognized it, he recalled that at the time of the wars
in the Balkans the Arabs sought Western intervention, and the
U.S. stepped in and saved a threatened Muslim population.
Why now, asked A/S Welch, do Arab states not recognize
Kosovo? Al-Mahmoud said he believes the time has come to
recognize Kosovo and that the U.S. should be proud of its
actions in the Balkans. Al-Mahmoud said the OIC Summit in
Senegal agreed to "eventual recognition" of Kosovo, but he
could not explain the resistance to doing something now. He
opined that perhaps states were concerned about setting a
precedent for renegade regions to break away. Al-Mahmoud
encourages the U.S. to put this issue on the agenda of the
GCC 2 Summit.

--------------
IRAQ
--------------


7. (C) Al-Mahmoud told A/S Welch Qatar has a better
relationship with Iraq now than it did in the past. The Amir
met with Shiite Vice President Adil Abdul-Mahdi at the Arab
League Summit in Damascus for what Al-Mahmoud characterized
as "frank discussions." He said the Iraqi Government has a
problem with Al Jazeera's coverage, like most everyone else
in the region. Al-Mahmoud said Qatar's primary concern is
having all Iraqis share power in the government. As the
situation improves, it will be easier for Qatar to open an
embassy in Baghdad. A/S Welch underscored that while the
Iranian President had visited Iraq, not a single Arab head of
state had done so. This was not in the Arab interest.
Al-Mahmoud said A/S Welch was absolutely right. The Arabs
needed to play a bigger role. When Qatar first sought to
open an embassy in Baghdad, said Al-Mahmoud, the U.S. could
not provide security guarantees. Another problem, according
to Al-Mahmoud, was Arabs' reluctance to donate money for
Iraqi humanitarian assistance because they are afraid their
names will be put on an international list that prohibits
their travel to the U.S., Europe, and elsewhere. The
Iranians, he observed, do not have this fear and are winning
points with the Iraqis by providing assistance.


8. (C) A/S Welch stressed the pressing need to restore Arab
interest in Iraq and Iraqi interest in being Arab. He urged
Qatar to take another look at official visits and said the
visit of the Iranian President to Baghdad was embarrassing
for the Arab states of the region. Al-Mahmoud said the Arabs
need U.S. help. A/S Welch encouraged Qatar to look seriously
at helping to increase Arab influence in Iraq. One area
where Qatar could help is providing assistance to Iraqi
refugees in Jordan and Syria. Al-Mahmoud responded that the
Arab League had taken the decision in Damascus to help the
Jordanian and Syrian governments. He added that the Iraqi
Government should help, too. A/S Welch said the U.S. would
encourage matching Iraqi contributions, and Al-Mahmoud said
the Iraqi Government has money to spend on fulfilling its
responsibilities to displaced Iraqi citizens.


9. (C) Noting that Qatar had not made a contribution to the
Palestinians through the Arab League since June 2007, A/S
Welch encouraged Qatar to contribute again. Al-Mahmoud
acknowledged that Qatar had not made a contribution in 2008,
but he emphasized that Qatar had met and exceeded its Arab
League obligations, having contributed 50 million USD (5
million above and beyond the 45 million obligation). A/S
Welch noted that Qatar's overall support of the Palestinians
put it at the top of the list alongside Saudi Arabia and the
UAE for 2007, but no money has gone since June of 2007. The
U.S., which contributed 150 million USD in late March,
nonetheless hoped Qatar could do more to support the
Palestinian Authority, concluded A/S Welch.


10. (U) A/S Welch has cleared this message.

RATNEY