Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08DOHA87
2008-02-04 07:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Doha
Cable title:  

QATAR WOULD WELCOME U.S. ENGAGEMENT ON NUCLEAR

Tags:  ENRG KNNP PARM PREL QA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO8480
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHDO #0087/01 0350752
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
P 040752Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7539
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0752
RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0813
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0029
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000087 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PARM PREL QA
SUBJECT: QATAR WOULD WELCOME U.S. ENGAGEMENT ON NUCLEAR
COOPERATION

REF: A. STATE 8175

B. DOHA 56

C. DOHA 83

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 000087

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/04/2018
TAGS: ENRG KNNP PARM PREL QA
SUBJECT: QATAR WOULD WELCOME U.S. ENGAGEMENT ON NUCLEAR
COOPERATION

REF: A. STATE 8175

B. DOHA 56

C. DOHA 83

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


1. (C) Embassy Doha, in response to Ref A, recommends
technical-level engagement on the development of civilian
nuclear applications with the GOQ in March, when the Science
and Technology Adviser at the Qatar Foundation and the
Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves
would both be available. The latter entity proposed a time
frame "around March 20," subject to USG availability. Both
GOQ entities would welcome a State-led interagency delegation
capable of discussing all aspects of potential Qatar-U.S.
cooperation.

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PROGRAM IN EARLY STAGES
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2. (C/NF) U.S. NUCLEAR LAB IN QATAR? There is significant
debate within the GOQ on the pace that civilian nuclear
development should move forward. Dr. Tidu Maini, Science and
Technology Adviser to Sheikha Mozah (the Amir's wife and head
of the Qatar Foundation),told P/E Chief January 31 that
Sheikha Mozah wants Qatar to move forward very quickly.
Maini, who has considerable education and work experience in
the U.S., confided that he personally is predisposed to
making the U.S. the primary partner of Qatar in the nuclear
field. He also told P/E Chief privately that he would like
to set aside space in the Science and Technology Park
currently under construction on the outskirts of Doha for a
U.S.-run nuclear laboratory.


3. (C/NF) INFIGHTING ON TIME TABLE: Maini described the
Supreme Council for the Environment and Natural Reserves,
headed by Khaled Ghanim Al-Ali, as determined to push forward
on peaceful uses of nuclear technology in partnership with
the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC). He cited the Council and
the Ministry of Energy as two key governmental actors who
favor a "slow approach" to nuclear development. Sheikha
Mozah and the Qatar Foundation, on the other hand he said,
believe decisions must be taken quickly so that Qatar can

begin educating and training a generation of Qataris with
sufficient skills and background in the field. Maini added
that the Qatar Foundation was giving serious consideration to
the construction of a "demonstration nuclear plant," but this
information was highly sensitive and not to be shared with
other Qataris, including government officials.


4. (C) DISCUSSIONS WITH FRANCE AND U.S. PLAYERS: Issa
Al-Ghanim, Planning Director and Head of the Renewable Energy
Committee for Qatar Petroleum (under the Ministry of Energy
and Industry),told P/E Chief and EconOff January 29 Qatar
was "looking at the feasibility" of developing civilian
nuclear power. Whether Qatar would do so alone or in
partnership with the GCC - or bilaterally with another nation
- was all on the table, he said. Al-Ghanim said he meets
with companies who approach him on cooperation, but "we don't
want to run very fast." One aspect under consideration was
the hiring of specialists to advise Qatar on how to proceed,
according to Al-Ghanim. He said General Electric had been in
touch with his office and that Qatar had sought advice from
the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission on regulatory and
safety issues associated with nuclear power. Al-Ghanim noted
that General Electric does not want to operate a nuclear
power station for Qatar. France, however, was very much
interested in this aspect of cooperation. The French oil
company Total and Electricite de France (EDF) were in
discussions with Al-Ghanim, and the GOQ had a memorandum of
understanding with EDF which touched on nuclear cooperation
as one aspect of their joint work. Al-Ghanim confirmed a
10-15 year timeline (see Ref B) for Qatar's construction of a
nuclear plant for electrical and water supply needs.


5. (C) USE OF RADIOISOTOPES: Qatar University Professor
Ilham Al-Qaradawi told P/E Chief January 31 that development
of nuclear power for peaceful purposes in Qatar for now was
"all talk." She said there were collective efforts with the
GCC as well as efforts being undertaken by individual GCC
states. Al-Qaradawi described Qatar as in the
"pre-feasibility or feasibility" stage of development. It
was her understanding that the IAEA had drafted a feasibility
study for the GOQ. Al-Qaradawi said she is a nuclear
medicine technology consultant for hospitals on producing
radioisotopes that would require production in Qatar. She

DOHA 00000087 002 OF 002


noted that established hydrocarbon companies in Qatar also
rely on radioisotopes for their work and stated that the GOQ
had yet to decide whether to pursue the construction of a
cyclotron or research reactor. It was clear to her as an
educator, however, that the GOQ wanted to create an
educational capacity in the field. Texas A&M, which has a
campus in Doha, was the likely partner, and Al-Qaradawi noted
that she would likely travel to College Station in March for
further discussions in this area. (Note: Texas A&M faculty
visited Doha in early January and held separate meetings with
her and Embassy staff.) She also observed that all of her
nuclear physics students were women; male Qataris were more
interested in driving fast cars, but she said (with a smile)
this could change if Qatar were to develop a nuclear
capacity.


6. (C) BELGIANS HAVE ALREADY VISITED: The Deputy Secretary
General of the Supreme Council for the Environment and
Natural Reserves, Dr. Ahmed Al-Khataybeh, told P/E Chief and
PolOff February 3 that the Supreme Council had "complete
responsibility" for all nuclear-related matters in Qatar and
stated his office was the clearinghouse for all domestic and
foreign governmental, non-governmental, and educational
organizations wishing to approach the GOQ on nuclear issues.
He said the Council would be pleased to organize a U.S.
technical team visit "around March 20," depending on USG
availability. He added that Qatar held technical discussions
with a Belgian team (the only other team to have visited
Doha) in late January. Al-Khataybeh, who was previously the
deputy director of nuclear power applications in Jordan, said
the GOQ aimed to train future Qatari nuclear engineers in the
U.S. and elsewhere. He said there was also interest in
establishing educational programs for such training in Qatar,
and he hoped the U.S. would be a partner in this endeavor.


7. (C) NUCLEAR RESEARCH REACTOR?: Asked how Qatar views the
GCC role in developing nuclear technology, Al-Khataybeh
responded that the GCC maintained a "regional perspective,"
whereas the member states were responsible for "national
implementation" of the vision. He observed that GCC members
could proceed at different speeds in developing water and
electricity - projects that the GCC heads of state had
approved. Al-Khataybeh reported that the IAEA was preparing
a feasibility study on establishing a nuclear research
reactor in Qatar for training purposes. Returning to the
need to educate Qataris in the field, Al-Khataybeh predicted
a shortage of nuclear engineers worldwide in the coming years
as countries look to nuclear energy to supplant hydrocarbon
resources. Asked when Qatar expected its first nuclear plant
to go on line, Al-Khataybeh said the internal GOQ timeline
was 10-15 years, but 15-25 years was more realistic.

--------------
A GOOD TIME FOR TECHNICAL-LEVEL DISCUSSIONS
--------------


8. (C) Embassy Doha recommends that a technical team visit
Doha for discussions with the interlocutors identified in
this message. We believe any new approach to the GOQ on the
political level about the civilian development of nuclear
power should not occur before a team of technical experts has
direct discussions with Qatari officials. During his January
22 discussion with the Amir, Energy Secretary Bodman noted
that the challenge in developing nuclear power is to prevent
the technology from being used for bad purposes (see Ref C).
Secretary Bodman described the U.S. Global Nuclear Energy

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Partnership (GNEP) as encouraging development of nuclear
power for positive purposes in ways that are not conducive to
proliferation. Underscoring the UAE's growing interest in
the field, Secretary Bodman told the Amir that 19 countries
were thus far participating and expressed confidence that
Qatar will join - not right away but over time as the country
gets more interested in nuclear power. (The Amir responded
that Qatar "will be a little lazy for a while" because it has
large quantities of natural gas.)
RATNEY