QATAR TO ABIDE BY GCC AGREEMENT ON PALESTINIAN AID

C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 000176 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/10/2019 TAGS: PREL KPAL KWBG QA SUBJECT: QATAR TO ABIDE BY GCC AGREEMENT ON PALESTINIAN AID REF: STATE 20388 Classified By: Ambassador Joseph E. LeBaron, for reasons. 1.4 (b, d). -------------- (C) KEY POINTS -------------- -- Qatar will provide its $250 million for Gaza reconstruction through the GCC mechanism agreed to earlier this month in Riyadh, Minister of State Al-Mahmoud told Ambassador March 10. -- Arab League members outside the GCC could participate at their choosing, but Al-Mahmoud was unaware of any country having decided to do so. -- All GCC states were going to use the mechanism, he said. End Key Points. ¶1. (C) Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Ahmed Al-Mahmoud told Ambassador March 10 that Qatar and all GCC member states had agreed in Riyadh March 1 on "the mechanism of a committee to run the fund for Gaza reconstruction in coordination with banks." ¶2. (C) Al-Mahmoud provided Ambassador a copy of the GCC statement on the agreement (e-mailed 3/10/09 to NEA/ARP). Al-Mahmoud added that the GCC would establish an "office of supervision" in Gaza to ensure that the aid reaches the people who need it. ¶3. (C) Al-Mahmoud told Ambassador Qatar's contribution would go through this GCC mechanism, as would the contributions of all other GCC states. Al-Mahmoud added that non-GCC states belonging to the Arab League could also use this channel, but he did not know if any country had agreed to do so. ¶4. (C) Turning to his bilateral meeting with Secretary Clinton following the March 3 GCC 3 Summit, Al-Mahmoud said he gave the Secretary his assurances that Qatar does not interfere in "internal Palestinian affairs." He made clear that Qatar "has nothing against Minister Fayyad" and is taking no action against him, contrary to "what some countries" may be telling the U.S. LeBaron