EMBASSY DOHA'S FOLLOW-UP TO THE PRESIDENT'S CAIRO SPEECH

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 DOHA 000458

SENSITIVE, SIPDIS

FOR POLICY PLANNING STAFF - GREG BEHRMAN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EAID ECON OEXC OSCI PREL SCUL SENV SOCI TNGD TSPL
XF, XI, ZP, ZR, QA
SUBJECT: EMBASSY DOHA'S FOLLOW-UP TO THE PRESIDENT'S CAIRO SPEECH

REF: (A) SECSTATE 71325
(B) 2008 DOHA 664
(C) DOHA 205
(D) DOHA 268
(E) DOHA 446
(F) DOHA 130
(G) DOHA 159
(H) DOHA 413

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KEY POINTS
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-- Ambassador and Embassy officers followed up the President's
speech with a variety of engagements to hear feedback directly from
Qataris.

-- Qatar is already a progressive force in the three priority areas
listed Ref A. Enhanced U.S. engagement efforts should focus on
specific gaps in Qatar's human development such as English language
education and opportunities for women and girls.

-- Qatar could be a valuable regional partner and force-multiplier
in furthering human development, entrepreneurship and interfaith
partnership, and science and technology throughout the Muslim world.
USG engagement of Qatar would most usefully be focused on creating a
partnership to advance our shared region-wide goals.

-- However, many of these goals will not be achievable without more
attention and resources given to visa issuance, particularly
eliminating the long wait times for security clearances.

-- Embassy Doha's new linguistic capabilities could help the U.S.
policy community advance its strategic communication goals in the
region.

END KEY POINTS.


1. OVERVIEW: This cable is structured to provide Embassy Doha's
assessment - based on consultations with key stakeholders - of the
best ways to engage on the three priority areas listed in the
President's speech and in Ref A. After describing how we sought
feedback to the speech, we call for building a partnership with
Qatar to promote regional development and underscore the importance
of solving the visa clearance backlog. We then outline priorities
and opportunities for USG engagement of Qatar in the three priority
areas of human development, entrepreneurship and interfaith
partnership, and science and technology. We conclude with some
thoughts about how to integrate Embassy Doha's new linguistic
capabilities with the USG's broader efforts toward Muslim
engagement.

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METHODS OF CONSULTATION AND FEEDBACK
--------------


2. Since the President's Cairo speech on June 4, Embassy undertook
several efforts to enhance dialogue with the Muslim community in
Qatar and to solicit input from Qataris on how best to follow up on
the President's words with actions on the ground.

-- On the afternoon of the President's speech, Embassy held a public
viewing and discussion in conjunction with the Brookings Doha
Center. After brief remarks drawn from the speech's key points, the
Ambassador answered questions and took comments from over 50
audience members.

-- The Ambassador has hosted a series of events at his residence
with local educational leaders and exchange program participants.
These interactions have provided valuable feedback on the state of
educational institutions and human development in Qatar. Media
coverage of the events emphasized the U.S. desire to hear Qatari
voices.

-- The Ambassador has begun meeting with local religious leaders to
gauge their reactions to the speech and develop a greater
understanding of their priorities.

-- The Ambassador made a series of visits to tribal elders at Doha's
main souq (market). These individuals helped provide a broader
historical perspective of Qatar's development, its culture, and
opportunities for U.S. engagement.

-- Emboffs canvassed their contacts for reactions to the speech.
Contacts generally responded positively, noting they were looking
forward to the programs/actions which would flow from the rhetoric.


3. (SBU) The above activities supplement the regular efforts by
Embassy's Country Team to engage with Qatari society. Embassy Doha
holds regular (twice a year) interagency off-sites to integrate the

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collective outreach efforts of the interagency in the field, to
analyze key trends in Qatar, and to assess the U.S. policy
implications. (Note: See Refs B and C for full descriptions of these
off-sites' conclusions.) These forums enhance our strategic
planning, and they serve as an internal sounding board for
evaluating the input we receive from a diverse set of partners in
Qatari government and society. Moreover, Embassy is establishing
several "interagency synchronization" groups to address key issues
in Qatar; this model could easily be applied by Embassy's Country
Team to implement long-term U.S. engagement with Qatar in the field,
consistent with the potential activities and programs listed Ref A.


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PARTNERSHIP BEYOND QATAR'S BORDERS
--------------


4. Qatar's development vision extends far beyond its own borders,
and Qatar is a progressive force in the Arab region, at least in the
three priority areas highlighted by the President.

-- For example, to advance human development efforts in the
education field, Qatar's Reach Out to Asia (ROTA) charity provides
assistance across the Muslim world; it is a good example of a Qatari
organization we should approach in partnership as we implement the
President's initiative. ROTA currently has a partnership with U.S.
NGO Mercy Corps and is working on educational initiatives in such
high-priority areas as Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Northern Iraq.

-- Qatar is carving out a leadership role in both entrepreneurship
and interfaith activities. Silatech, a new organization, is
promoting youth employment across the 22 Arab countries, with an
initial focus on Qatar, Morocco, Syria, Yemen, Tunisia, and Bahrain.
The GOQ recently founded an interfaith center and holds regular
conferences with leaders from the three monotheistic traditions.

-- On science and technology, Qatar's Education City, with branch
campuses of 6 U.S. universities and students from around the region,
and a Science and Technology Park with 22 tenants so far, including
major U.S. firms, has the potential to become a regional scientific
"center of excellence."


5. Beyond supporting Qatar's domestic efforts (see sections below),
the USG could most usefully focus its Qatar-specific efforts on
partnering with Qatar in other parts of the Muslim world. Thanks to
enormous wealth dependent on its large natural gas reserves -- the
world's third largest -- Qatar seeks to play a significant regional
role greater than its geographic or demographic size would suggest,
but partnership is the key to unlocking the money for use in USG
initiatives.

-- Embassy's records indicate we have approached Qatar at least 22
times in the past year to ask for money, for everything from
reconstruction of Georgia to a clean technology fund to support for
the Somali army. Qatar generally does not respond to these requests
because they are not done as part of a coordinated policy process.
Likewise, feedback from our interlocutors suggests that Qatar will
only respond to donation requests when they are packaged as part of
senior-level consultations. For example, the Minister of State for
Foreign Affairs recommended bilateral coordination of specific
development aid projects (Ref D).

-- Our current "tin cup" approach of repeated requests for financial
contributions to various causes has proven ineffective because they
are not done in the spirit of a true partnership. Qatar does not
want to just write a check - it wants to be involved in the
formulation and implementation of programs. Thus, the USG should
tailor its requests to specific development projects in which Qatar
can play a prominent role and present these requests as part of an
ongoing political consultative process.

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FIXING VISA SYSTEM THE LYNCHPIN
TO ALL OTHER EFFORTS
--------------


6. Before providing Embassy's assessment of the key subject areas
for engagement, we note that much of our current and future success
hinges on the USG's ability to provide visas to legitimate travelers
in a timely manner. The lengthy and opaque visa process is the most
common complaint from Qatari citizens who are otherwise favorably
inclined toward the U.S.

-- Many opportunities have been lost when the clearance process is
too slow to clear legitimate travelers going to the U.S. for
exchanges, study, business, or other travel. This hampers our
efforts to build bridges.

-- More resources are necessary at the interagency level in
Washington to review the usefulness of CLASS hits with common names

DOHA 00000458 003 OF 009


but no other identifying criteria and clear expeditiously Security
Advisory Opinions.

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HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
--------------


7. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - QATARI PRIORITIES: Qatar's stunning
economic progress depends primarily on the exploitation of its oil
and gas resources. However, the GOQ is aware that the country's
hydrocarbon resources will eventually run out and is working towards
diversifying its economy and enhancing education as the foundation
for the future generation.

-- The Government of Qatar announced earlier this year "Qatar Vision
2030," which is intended to guide creation of a comprehensive action
plan to further Qatar's development efforts. The vision's four
pillars are Economic, Social, Human, and Environmental Development.
(Note: The full document is available online at Qatar's General
Secretariat for Development Planning website: www.gsdp.gov.qa).

-- The Economic Development priorities described in the vision
include delivering prosperity while mitigating the effects of
economic imbalances; strengthening the private sector; balancing
hydrocarbon reserves and production to ensure benefits are available
for the next generation; and balancing economic development and
protection of the environment.

-- One of the most notable aspects of this vision is the strong
encouragement of both male and female Qataris from various levels of
the public and private sectors to speak their minds and collaborate
on fleshing out strategies during conferences and working group
sessions. This process will result in publication of a National
Development Plan for 2010-2015.


8. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: While Qatar
is working hard to develop and implement its vision, Qatar is
acutely aware of its own need for capacity-building and assistance
at all levels.

-- For example, the GOQ recognizes its dependence on food imports
and would like to develop a domestic agricultural and regulatory
industry (Ref E). Embassy is helping Qatar's Task Force on Food
Security establish connections with USDA and other agencies which
could provide advice, capacity-building, and other assistance. Such
efforts are welcome as they support Qatar's self-identified
priorities. Enabling more exchanges and assistance programs, as
envisioned in the President's speech, would help support Qatar's
economic development and diversification efforts.


9. EDUCATION - QATARI PRIORITIES: Qatar aims to build a modern
world-class educational system that prepares Qatari students for
success in a globalized, knowledge-based conomy. Qatar's approach
to education reform is uique in the world, because it is not only
seekin to modernize its educational system on an America model
but through a series of partnerships is ctually importing
high-quality U.S. institutionsto help them achieve that goal.

-- (SBU) Indepenent Schools. The GOQ has formed 186 schols which
operate similar to U.S. charter schools by allowing local control of
the curriculum. The RAND Corporation, which has closely advised the
GOQ and has one of its two overseas branch offices in Doha, tells us
that Qatar is undertaking the most ambitious educational reform
project it has seen anywhere in the world. However, the GOQ's bold
reforms have received negative feedback from the public due to a
widespread belief that the independent schools sap resources from
the standard public schools, that they provide few academic
improvements over the public school system, and that their English
language focus will contribute to the erosion of the Arabic language
and Qatari culture.

-- Qatar Foundation (QF). The QF is the primary vehicle for
the GOQ's massive investments in education, science and
technology, and related social programs. QF and a
constellation of affiliated organizations and initiatives are run by
Shaykha Mozah and other royal family members. (More information is
available at: www.qf.edu.qa).

-- Education City. QF's flagship project is a 2,500-acre
campus in Doha which hosts branch campuses of six U.S.
universities, each focused on a particular academic specialty.


10. Despite the extensive resources at their doorstep, many high
school graduates still see higher education as inaccessible and
reserved for the elite. Many Qataris view the problem as stemming
from Qatar's efforts to "Americanize" or "internationalize" its
college education system in the past two years and quick
implementation of a bilingual English and Arabic curriculum.


11. EDUCATION - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: Successful engagement

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with Qatar calls for showing respect for its leaders' vision for
education and creating partnerships to address areas of joint
interest. The U.S. private sector is already the leading partner in
Qatar's efforts, and expanded USG involvement should be tailored to
complement this successful partnership.

-- While it has quickly built an impressive higher-education
capability, as noted, K-12 educational preparation lags behind and
not all Qataris will have the talent or desire to study at Education
City's elite universities. The USG may be able to help by devoting
resources to boosting Qatar's K-12 reform efforts and helping Qatar
import community colleges.

-- Qatar has a critical need for quality textbooks and learning
resources. For example, the head of the Independent School
Committee recently told us that Qatar needs 180,000 new, quality
books in science and math for its preparatory schools. The U.S.
Foreign Commercial Service and its affiliated domestic offices could
liaise with U.S. book publishers to partner them with Qatari
buyers.

-- Embassy already has multiple programs to support English language
instruction in Qatar. Scaling up resources for such efforts,
however, would be well received in Qatar and help meet a pressing
need.

-- To highlight Qatar's educational achievements and the key U.S.
role, Embassy would also suggest revisiting the idea of a
Congressional field hearing at Education City, a concept supported
by Shaykha Mozah (see Ref G).

-- Beyond Qatar, the Qatar Foundation recently opened a Washington
office to work on implementing educational projects across cultures.
The organization receives its funding from the Qatar Foundation but
is technically a separately registered 501 (c)(3) organization with
its own U.S.-majority board. The Executive Director of QF-U.S. is a
former FSO and is eager to engage the USG on collaborative
projects.


12. WOMEN AND GIRLS - QATARI PRIORITIES: Qatar, despite its
outwardly modern appearance, remains a tribal society with
conservative Islamic mores. However, Qatar's leadership has
endorsed education of its female citizens at all levels including
higher education. Qatari females not only attend universities and
colleges but also consistently outperform their male counterparts.
Female students comprise 60% of the student population of Qatar
University and most Education City schools have similar ratios.

-- Qatar's National Vision 2030 calls for ensuring women's
participation in all parts of life and enhancing their abilities.

-- At the same time, most Qatari families place travel restrictions
on young females (they are not allowed to travel without a 'mahram'
or male chaperone),making it difficult for them to study abroad or
participate in exchange programs.


13. WOMEN AND GIRLS - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: By all
accounts, Qatari female students are intelligent, hard-working, and
dedicated to achievement. To get around the travel requirements,
the USG should make allowances for chaperone travel with exchanges
(by both permitting such accompaniment and reducing the length of
some programs) and scale-up successful outreach efforts within
Qatar.

-- For example, Embassy is sponsoring five Qatari girls this month
on an intensive English study and cultural visit to the U.S. Embassy
worked closely with the Doha Youth Center to design a program that
would satisfy the 'Mahram' requirements by sending two Qatari
chaperones with the girls.

-- Embassy recently sent its first Qatari female Fulbright scholar
to the U.S. Finding Qatari women to participate in the Fulbright
program has been difficult, and we believe programs shorter then the
typical one-year requirement would be more successful in attracting
Qatari females.

-- Expansion of the well-received 3-week International Visitor
Leadership Programs would allow us to expand our exchange
opportunities with a program length that is more acceptable to many
Qataris.


14. While Qatari male youth benefit immensely from GOQ youth sports
programs, GOQ does not make similar resources and opportunities
available to girls.

-- Embassy is striving to change these practices by example through
programming for Qatari females. For example, two NBA/WNBA envoys
recently ran a clinic for the Qatari Girls National Basketball team.
The event was the first of its kind and received considerable media
coverage. Scaling up these efforts in Qatar would be a low-cost way

DOHA 00000458 005 OF 009


to reach Qatari females without the problematic travel restrictions
mentioned above.


15. YOUTH - QATARI PRIORITIES: Qatar has undertaken several large
initiatives to ramp up programs targeting youth.

-- For example, the GOQ launched a health and sports campaign to
target youth obesity. Prompted by hosting the Asian Games of 2006,
Qatar enhanced its sports facilities, and every Qatari male now has
free access to joining any one of the 16 Qatari sports clubs and
participating in a range of sports including soccer, swimming, and
martial arts.


16. Qatar has undertaken regional initiatives as well.

-- For example, the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) sponsors a
regional office of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC). In 2005, these two organizations established the Global
Sport Fund which provides grants to NGOs in the region for projects
that use sport to prevent drug use and criminal behavior among young
people. The GSF also sponsors events, youth camps, and exhibitions,
and holds training seminars for coaches and youth.


17. YOUTH - OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE ENGAGEMENT: Qatar's desire for
youth-centered cultural and athletic programs opens the door for
increased public diplomacy activities which promote a positive image
of the U.S. in Qatar.

-- For example, Embassy has capitalized on the presence of over
10,000 U.S. service members in Qatar to organize face-to-face
activities between U.S. service members and Qatari youth, such as
joint basketball and ice-skating programs. One of our most
successful efforts involved bringing a visiting U.S. Air Force band
to local schools to play American contemporary music for special
needs children and other Qatari students.

-- The USG should also consider a contribution or partnership with
the Global Sports Fund described above.


18. HEALTH - QATARI PRIORITIES: Enhancing the country's health
systems and overall health of the population is one of the GOQ's top
priorities.

-- Qatar has formed a partnership with Weill Cornell Medical School
which has established a satellite campus in Education City. Qatar
hopes that Weill Cornell will serve as a feeder school for medical
professionals in its health care system.

-- Qatar is constructing an $8 Billion, 250 bed research and
teaching hospital ("Sidra") and is investing in new technology for
existing hospitals. However, Qatar has struggled to match these
facilities with a qualified medical workforce competent in using the
latest technologies.

-- Hamad Hospital is currently partnering with the University of
Pittsburgh Medical Group to improve its emergency services.

-- The March 2008 Fulbright Academy Conference on Nursing and
Healthcare was held at the Qatar Foundation with participation from
many U.S. medical experts.


19. HEALTH - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: Several discrete health
areas would be ripe for further engagement.

-- Despite the impressive investments in infrastructure detailed
above, medical management skills are lacking in Qatar.

-- Embassy is working closely with the Qatar National Cancer Society
to raise breast cancer awareness in Qatar, which is viewed as a
taboo in Qatari society. Embassy organized several speaking
engagements for the Ambassador's wife which received extensive press
coverage. Qatari males (who are in large part responsible for
generating the stigma surrounding breast cancer in Qatri culture)
reacted positively to the campaigns while gaining a new perspective
on breast cancer. Expanding MEPI's Breast Cancer Awareness program
to Qatar could build on these successful initial efforts.

-- Embassy works closely with several local centers for individuals
with special needs by providing speakers and gifts, and sponsoring
interactive events for children. Considering the significant
proportion of special needs individuals in Qatari society, future
USG outreach programs should be designed with this need in mind.


20. ENVIRONMENT - QATARI PRIORITIES: Environmental Management is a
key concern of the Qatari leadership and also a growing concern for
multiple stakeholders in Qatar. As the USG considers programs
related to human development, it should consider Qatar as a
potential partner on matters of environmental protection.

-- Qatar Vision 2030's environmental development priorities are:

DOHA 00000458 006 OF 009


striking a balance between economic development and environmental
protection, improving the legal framework, encouraging the emergence
of an environmentally-aware population, and designing a sustainable
urban development strategy.

-- Qatar has recently hosted several notable environmental
conferences, from the November 2008 Montreal Protocol conference to
a regional MEPI-supported workshop on hazardous waste management.


21. Qatari leaders are also eager to invest in initiatives which
will enhance technology transfer to Qatar and support its
development goals in an environmentally-sustainable manner.

-- One example of the sort of partnership Qatar prefers is a joint
British Pound 250 million fund established between the Qatar
Investment Authority (Qatar's sovereign wealth fund) and the
UK-based Carbon Trust. The QIA contributed 150 million and the fund
intends to invest in clean energy technology and technology transfer
to Qatar. The fund is the result of high-level political engagement
between the British and Qatari Prime Ministers, and the agreement
was signed during Gordon Brown's November 2008 visit to Doha.


22. ENVIRONMENT - OPPORTUNITIES FOR FUTURE ENGAGEMENT: USG efforts
should focus on supporting Qatar's current environmental management
initiatives.

-- Significantly, the GOQ established last year a new Environment
Ministry with wide authority. Embassy is working with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency on a proposal (via the State
Department Science Fellows program) to place a senior advisor at the
Ministry for several months next year. However, funds are scarce and
greater investment in this program would make it much more
effective.

-- The rapid pace of development in Doha has raised the concern of
many in the government and construction industry over the
environmental sustainability of new buildings, and several
stakeholders recently formed a Green Building Council. U.S. advice,
expertise, and technology could be crucial in helping Qatar's
development proceed in an eco-friendly and technologically-advanced
manner.


23. RULE OF LAW - QATARI PRIORITIES: The significant swell of
expatriates and Qatar's growing role as a transport hub has
increased its vulnerability to crime and extremist violence.
Modernization has also brought with it scourges like drug abuse and
financial crime.

-- Qatar's National Vision 2030 calls for establishing the rule of
law in Qatar by regularizing judicial procedures and harmonizing
Qatar's legal code with international norms. Moreover, Qatar
adopted a constitution in 2003 for the first time.


24. RULE OF LAW - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: The USG has many
resources for legal advice at its disposal and should build on
successful assistance provided to Qatar in recent years.

-- For example, the Qatari Attorney General would like to expand FBI
training of Qatari prosecutors. In the last three years, Embassy
arranged two-week training programs for two groups of Qatari
prosecutors in the U.S. and sent five U.S. prosecutors to a similar
program in Qatar.

-- Embassy has hosted several visits by the Department of Commerce's
MEPI-supported Commercial Law Development Program in recent years.
These expert advisors contributed to training programs and new
procedures at the Qatari Ministry of Justice and Qatar University
Law School. While such short-term interventions are useful,
long-term secondments or advisory roles could be even more effective
and are worth evaluating as a scalable opportunity in the region.

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND INTERFAITH PARTNERSHIP
--------------


25. ENTREPRENEURSHIP - QATARI PRIORITIES: Encouraging
entrepreneurship is a priority shared by the GOQ. The leadership's
vision extends not only to their small country, however, but across
the Arab world.

-- In 2008, the Amir's consort Shaykha Mozah founded "Silatech"
("Your Connection" in Arabic) to promote youth employment across the
22 countries of the Arab region. The organization has held two
large conferences in Doha and is now working on pilot programs in
six countries (Qatar, Morocco, Syria, Yemen, Tunisia, and Bahrain).
For now, Silatech is focused on three areas: improving access to
skills training and placement services, the promotion of policies to
stimulate increased employment and enterprise opportunities, and
changing the "mindset" in the region to improve society's
recognition and support for youth employment.

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-- Silatech recently signed a number of agreements with other
organizations working on youth employment issues in the Arab world,
including the Brookings Institution, Dubai School of Government,
Manpower, and Pearson Education, among others. (More information
can be found at www.silatech.com). As follow up to Ref G, which
recommended USG engagement with Silatech, Embassy recently connected
the organization's representatives with both MEPI and the Small
Business Administration to discuss potential areas for partnership.

-- The Ministry of Business and Trade recently established a $550
million fund to build an institution dedicated to diversifying the
Qatari economy (particularly encouraging SMEs) and promoting a more
entrepreneurial business culture. Embassy has established
connections between the Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC)
and Qatar's Ministry of Business and Trade and other GOQ entities
working on SME development and other efforts to expand the Qatari
private sector.


26. ENTREPRENEURSHIP - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: Embassy
believes creating partnerships to promote entrepreneurship with both
Silatech and the Ministry of Business and Trade offers the best
chance of programmatic success in the near term. These
organizations could help to implement a new business volunteer corps
and their senior representatives should be invited to the
President's summit on entrepreneurship. Also, FSVC's successful
training programs in the region should be linked to new ideas such
as the Business Volunteer Corps.


27. Separately, Embassy will launch this fall an American Chamber of
Commerce in Qatar which will create a ready platform for business
opportunities and development of Qatar's private sector.

-- Membership in the AmCham is open to local companies, and there
will be great potential for technology transfer, joint business
opportunities, and better cultural understanding.

-- Several U.S. companies offer long-term internships in the U.S. to
Qatari students, efforts which could be expanded by partnering USG
resources with the AmCham and its constituent companies in Qatar.


28. INTERFAITH PARTNERSHIP - QATARI PRIORITIES: The GOQ hosts two
major conferences each year which incorporate interfaith dialogue
and partnership: the Brookings-organized U.S.-Islamic World Forum
(which has an interfaith sub-group) and an Interfaith Dialogue
conference. Both conferences attract high level visitors from around
the world.

-- In mid-2008, Qatar established the Interfaith Dialogue Center to
build a cohesive effort among monotheistic faiths to tackle common
issues in the Middle East.


29. INTERFAITH PARTNERSHIP - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: Embassy
has attained significant public diplomacy success by harnessing the
visits of both USG and private representatives at these conferences.
For example, Congressional Representatives and American Imams have
been prominent participants in these conferences, garnering
significant media coverage. Embassy also took advantage of the
events to bring the visitors to local schools for speaking
opportunities.

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SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
--------------


30. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - QATARI PRIORITIES: Ref H provides a
detailed Scenesetter on Science and Technology issues in Qatar. In
writing that cable, Embassy surveyed S&T stakeholders in Qatar
specifically in response to the President's Cairo speech. Qatar is
using its current hydrocarbon-fueled wealth to invest in educational
reform (as described earlier) and this vision extends to science and
technology. The Qatar Foundation is the primary vehicle for these
initiatives.

-- The Qatar Science and Technology Park (QSTP) is another of QF's
major entities and formally opened in March 2009. The park has 22
high-profile tenants, including major U.S. firms such as ExxonMobil,
ConocoPhillips, GE, and Microsoft. QSTP is intended to foster
industry-university collaboration at Qatar's Education City and is
focused on promoting research, commercialization, and
technology/knowledge-transfer to Qatar from these firms in four
areas: energy, environment, health care, and
information/communication technology. (More information is
available at: www.qstp.org.qa)

-- The Qatar National Research Fund (QNRF) provides millions in
funding to original research in natural sciences, engineering and
technology, medical and health sciences, agricultural services,
social sciences and humanities. USD 45 million was made available
for awards in 2008. During the 2007-2008 cycle, 47 collaborative

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research applications were approved involving 33 international
institutions.


31. Qatar does not generally need USG money. The state provides
full educational funding for all of its citizens and has obligated
itself to providing 2.8 percent of its GDP to research. (Note: This
would comprise just under USD 3 billion in 2008, though the
mechanics of how this money will be spent remain unclear to us.)

-- Qatari leaders have expressed their need, however, for help in
addressing systemic weaknesses in human capacity. While almost 2
million people live in Qatar, a mere 225,000 are Qatari nationals.
There is little indigenous scientific capacity (i.e., there are few
Qatari scientists to engage).


32. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENGAGEMENT: Given its
significant domestic investments, Qatar could be most valuable to
USG efforts as a regional partner in furthering S&T in the Muslim
world. Specific partnerships determined through political
engagement are most likely to garner Qatari interest, participation,
and funding.

-- Enhanced USG engagement on S&T would be welcomed by Qatar and
boost two of the strongest parts of our bilateral relationship: the
commercial and educational pillars.

-- Qatar has significant hotel, conference, and exhibition capacity
and would be a logical leader to host large conferences or summits.


33. Qatar's successful efforts to engage - even import - the U.S.
educational model and U.S. private sector expertise indicate the USG
would be pushing on an open door by further pursuing such
engagement. Education City has all the makings of a scientific
"center of excellence" as called for in the White House initiatives.
However, if the USG were to approach QF or Education City under any
new initiative, we would need to think through exactly what
"value-added" could be provided by the USG.

-- At a minimum, the novel experiment of importing U.S.
higher education at QF's Education City calls for rethinking the
current framework and restrictions on USG funding, such as through
the National Science Foundation (NSF). A recent visit to Qatar by a
senior NSF official revealed a strong interest at Education City in
applying for USG funding. However, the current funding system may
not be positioned to accommodate collaborative research projects
abroad, even those involving U.S. institutions and researchers.

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SYNCHRONIZING LINGUISTIC CAPABILITIES
WITH OUTREACH EFFORTS
--------------


34. U.S. Embassy Doha is a key stakeholder in the Integrated
Linguistic Activity-Doha (ILiAD),the USG's premier Middle East
regional center for linguistic expertise, providing intelligence
derived from collected foreign materials and publicly available
information, and delivering accurate translation services for
national and operational customers. The ILiAD is a confederation of
three USG agencies:
- DIA Combined Media Processing Center-Qatar (CMPC-Q)
- DNI Open Source Center-Doha (OSC-D)
- FBI National Virtual Translation Center-Qatar (NVTC-Q)


35. As U.S. missions gear up to support the President's initiatives
to constructively engage with Muslim communities, the ILiAD can be a
significant resource for the U.S. policy community by helping to
produce timely and accurate strategic communications. Not only
could the ILiAD provide high quality translation support -- both
from English to target languages and from target languages to
English -- but it also will play a prominent role in monitoring
local and regional media reactions to the consultative process
launched by U.S. Missions in the region.

-- The ILiAD provides extensive news monitoring throughout the Gulf
and Yemen. At present the Open Source Center component monitors
over 50 regional newspapers -- 8 in Qatar, 6 in Bahrain, 9 in
Kuwait, 8 in UAE, 3 in Oman, and 19 in Yemen. This coverage will
expand further through FY10 -- extending to Afghanistan, Pakistan,
Iran, and the Horn of Africa -- as the ILIAD continues to add and
train additional Arabic, Urdu, Pashtu, and Farsi linguists.

-- The ILiAD also monitors selected satellite TV broadcasts in Iraq
and Yemen.

-- In addition to traditional TV channels and newspapers, ILiAD/OSC
monitors daily over 75 key violent extremist Sunni and Shia websites
to identify claims of responsibility for attacks, ideological
statements, and reactions to international initiatives


36. U.S. efforts to engage in Strategic Communication throughout the

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Middle East region first requires a thorough understanding of the
information outlets, their biases, their sponsors, and other
background information.

-- The ILiAD, in concert with other ODNI Open Source Center bureaus
in London, Tel Aviv, and Amman, are meeting in August to develop a
region-wide Concept of Operations for this media outlet
characterization effort.

-- President Obama's specific initiatives, as defined in Ref A,
provides an obvious, shared interagency framework to guide the
strategic communications CONOPS for collection and production across
the Terrorism Near East Program.


37. The U.S. Central Command (US CENTCOM) is expanding its selection
of "tools" designed to improve communication and engagement with
Muslims throughout the Middle East and South Asia. This is part of
their ongoing effort to shift from kinetic confrontation to cultural
engagement intended to win over the hearts and minds of the people
in this region. Referred to collectively as "human terrain
analysis," these tools have the potential to reduce cultural
barriers.

-- The ILiAD has developed resources to support U.S. CENTCOM
efforts, such as tribal databases in Iraq and Afghanistan that
assist USG entities in partnering with the local population.

LEBARON