QATAR: ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT NOT OBSERVED

UNCLAS DOHA 000680 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: ECON ETRD KBCT QA SUBJECT: QATAR: ARAB LEAGUE BOYCOTT NOT OBSERVED REF: STATE 120272 ¶1. Qatar does not have any Arab League boycott laws on the books, maintain an Arab League boycott office, or enforce any of the three forms of the boycott. However, the GOQ will usually send an observer from its embassy in Damascus to the Central Boycott Office meetings. ¶2. Some government tender documents continue to contain outdated boycott language, but a decree from the Minister of Finance to make the language current is highly unlikely absent serious and tangible actions by Israel in Qatar's eyes toward peace with the Palestinians. ¶3. In FY09, the GOQ expelled Israeli diplomats working at the Israeli Trade Office following Israel's December/January military operations in Gaza. Given the prevailing political atmosphere, Embassy Doha did not raise the objectionable language on some tender documents with the Minister of Finance last fiscal year. LeBaron