Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TUNIS924
2008-08-19 14:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tunis
Cable title:
TUNISIA TO RE-OPEN EMBASSY IN QATAR
how-toVZCZCXRO3936 PP RUEHROV DE RUEHTU #0924 2321401 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 191401Z AUG 08 FM AMEMBASSY TUNIS TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5495 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000924
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/MAG (NARDI AND HARRIS)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2018
TAGS: PREL EINV QA TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIA TO RE-OPEN EMBASSY IN QATAR
REF: A. TUNIS 194
B. 06 TUNIS 2802
C. 06 TUNIS 2639
Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TUNIS 000924
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/MAG (NARDI AND HARRIS)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2018
TAGS: PREL EINV QA TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIA TO RE-OPEN EMBASSY IN QATAR
REF: A. TUNIS 194
B. 06 TUNIS 2802
C. 06 TUNIS 2639
Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Tunisia has announced that it will re-open its embassy
in Qatar, which it closed in October 2006 to protest
al-Jazeera's unfavorable coverage of domestic politics in
Tunisia. Foreign Minister Abdallah had previewed this
decision for NEA A/S Welch during the latter's late February
visit to Tunisia (Ref A),indicating that, while the GOT
remained incensed at al-Jazeera's inflammatory style, it no
longer made sense to have no representation in Doha. In the
credentialing ceremony at Carthage palace, President Ben Ali
emphasized the importance he attaches to relations with
Qatar. He charged the newly appointed ambassador with
working to consolidate and diversity ties in the pursuit of
common interests.
2. (C) Tunisia's new Ambassador to Qatar will be Mahmoud
Karoui. Karoui has been a member of the Chamber of Deputies
since 1999, representing the ruling Democratic Constitutional
Rally (RCD) party. About 60 years old, he hails from Nabeul,
on Tunisia's northeastern coast. He holds a Ph.D. in
pharmaceutical industry and was one of the founders of the
Tunisian Faculty of Pharmacy in 1975. This is his first
diplomatic posting.
3. (C) Comment: The GOT's 2006 decision to recall its
ambassador and close its Embassy appears to have been made
without much consideration for the negative consequences.
Abdallah acknowledged the mistake in February; we are only
surprised that it took the GOT this long to reverse course.
The Emir of Qatar has made more than one visit to Tunisia in
the interim, ostensibly for hunting vacations but probably
also in an effort to resolve differences. While Qatar
doesn't make Tunisia's Top 10 list for foreign direct
investment, the stakes for Tunisia are not insignificant.
For example, state-owned Qatar Telecom owns a 51 percent
share of Kuwait's Wataniya, which in turn holds a 50 percent
stake in Tunisiana, Tunisia's private mobile operator. In
addition, in May 2007, state-owned Qatar Petroleum signed an
MOU with the GOT to invest US $2 billion in the Skhira oil
refinery. End Comment.
Please visit Embassy Tunis' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunis/index.c fm
GODEC
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/MAG (NARDI AND HARRIS)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/19/2018
TAGS: PREL EINV QA TS
SUBJECT: TUNISIA TO RE-OPEN EMBASSY IN QATAR
REF: A. TUNIS 194
B. 06 TUNIS 2802
C. 06 TUNIS 2639
Classified By: Ambassador Robert F. Godec for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)
1. (C) Tunisia has announced that it will re-open its embassy
in Qatar, which it closed in October 2006 to protest
al-Jazeera's unfavorable coverage of domestic politics in
Tunisia. Foreign Minister Abdallah had previewed this
decision for NEA A/S Welch during the latter's late February
visit to Tunisia (Ref A),indicating that, while the GOT
remained incensed at al-Jazeera's inflammatory style, it no
longer made sense to have no representation in Doha. In the
credentialing ceremony at Carthage palace, President Ben Ali
emphasized the importance he attaches to relations with
Qatar. He charged the newly appointed ambassador with
working to consolidate and diversity ties in the pursuit of
common interests.
2. (C) Tunisia's new Ambassador to Qatar will be Mahmoud
Karoui. Karoui has been a member of the Chamber of Deputies
since 1999, representing the ruling Democratic Constitutional
Rally (RCD) party. About 60 years old, he hails from Nabeul,
on Tunisia's northeastern coast. He holds a Ph.D. in
pharmaceutical industry and was one of the founders of the
Tunisian Faculty of Pharmacy in 1975. This is his first
diplomatic posting.
3. (C) Comment: The GOT's 2006 decision to recall its
ambassador and close its Embassy appears to have been made
without much consideration for the negative consequences.
Abdallah acknowledged the mistake in February; we are only
surprised that it took the GOT this long to reverse course.
The Emir of Qatar has made more than one visit to Tunisia in
the interim, ostensibly for hunting vacations but probably
also in an effort to resolve differences. While Qatar
doesn't make Tunisia's Top 10 list for foreign direct
investment, the stakes for Tunisia are not insignificant.
For example, state-owned Qatar Telecom owns a 51 percent
share of Kuwait's Wataniya, which in turn holds a 50 percent
stake in Tunisiana, Tunisia's private mobile operator. In
addition, in May 2007, state-owned Qatar Petroleum signed an
MOU with the GOT to invest US $2 billion in the Skhira oil
refinery. End Comment.
Please visit Embassy Tunis' Classified Website at:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/tunis/index.c fm
GODEC