2010 FORUM FOR THE FUTURE: DEMOCRACY LEADER LOOKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L DOHA 000667

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/12/2019
TAGS: PREL CA MO QA
SUBJECT: 2010 FORUM FOR THE FUTURE: DEMOCRACY LEADER LOOKS
AHEAD

Classified By: Ambassador Joseph E. LeBaron for reasons 1.4 (b and d).

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(C) KEY POINTS
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-- Ambassador met November 12 with Marzen Marzouk, Director
of the Arab Democracy Foundation (ADF). They discussed
preparations for the 2010 Forum for the Future, which Qatar
will co-host.

-- Marzouk said that the ADF and National Human Rights
Committee (NHRC) would take the lead on the NGO side and the
MFA for the government, but when pressed by the Ambassador he
admitted that the PM had not communicated a decision as to
the role ADF and NHRC would play.

-- Marzouk predicted that tensions between PM and FM Shaykh
Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani and ADF Chair Shaykha Mozah bint
Nasser Al Misnad would influence the role that ADF and NHRC
will play in organizing and conducting the Forum.

-- The ADF Director stressed the importance of beginning
preparations for the Forum right away, and offered his
opinion that it could not succeed if the U.S. did not play a
major role.

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(C) COMMENTS
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-- Marzouk was right to concede that the role the ADF and
NHRC would play relative to the MFA would be influenced by
the tensions between the PM and Shaykha Mozah. The degree to
which the ADF and NHRC play a role in the organization and
conduct of the 2010 Forum will be a telling indicator of who
prevailed in shaping the conference.

End Key Points and Comments.


1. (SBU) Ambassador met on November 12 with Dr. Marzen
Marzouk, Director of the Arab Democracy Foundation (ADF).
The meeting was held at Marzouk's request. Also present in
the meeting were ADF Deputy Director for Programs Wafa'a Omar
and Poloff Caudill. The discussion covered a variety of
topics, including a look ahead to the 2010 Forum for the
Future in Doha, which Qatar is expected to co-host with
Canada.


2. (SBU) Ambassador asked Marzouk about GOQ preparations for
the Forum. Marzouk said that the National Human Rights
Committee (NHRC) and ADF would take the lead in preparations
for the NGO portion of the conference, and that MFA would
take the lead on the governmental side. He said that ADF had
set aside the resources to play a major
role in planning and conducting the Forum. He said such a
role was appropriate, given its work on the conferences
leading up to and including the recent Forum held in
Marrakesh.


3. (C) Ambassador pressed the issue of the role ADF and NHRC
would play relative to the MFA. Marzouk conceded that Prime
Minister and Foreign Minister Shaykh Hamad bin Jassim Al
Thani would make the ultimate decision as to the role the
NHRC and ADF would play, and that Marzouk was waiting for a
decision. He admitted that there was some tension between
the PM and the Amir's consort, Shaykha Mozah bint Nasser Al
Misnad, who chairs the ADF, and that such tension might
affect the role ADF would be allowed to play.


4. (SBU) Marzouk stressed the importance of beginning
preparations for the 2010 Forum right away, citing the
problems seen in Marrakesh. He stated his belief that a
successful Doha Forum would breathe new life into the
process, adding new dynamics and participants. But, he
cautioned, the process must be linked to outcomes. In his
opinion, no matter who the co-hosts were, the U.S. had to
play a major role or the Forum would not succeed.
LeBaron