QATAR SEES SLOW PROGRESS ON ITS GCC COMMON

S E C R E T DOHA 000729 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/20/2019 TAGS: PREL PNUC ECON EFIN QA IR SUBJECT: QATAR SEES SLOW PROGRESS ON ITS GCC COMMON SECURITY PROPOSALS Classified By: Ambassador Joseph E. LeBaron, for reasons 1.4 (b, d). -------------- (S) KEY POINTS -------------- -- Qatar's Prime Minister's May proposal to GCC states calling for establishing common positions and greater cooperation (with Iran in mind) continues to undergo review and study by member states, according to the MFA Director for GCC Affairs, Yousef Al-Jaber. -- According to Al-Jaber, the Prime Minister's proposal contains recommendations for greater information sharing and the establishment of a GCC central command center, a joint military working group, and a joint air force squadron. -- Separately, Qatar's former Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Sherida Al-Kaabi (who grew up in the same neighborhood as the Prime Minister),expressed frustration that Iran, not the West, is driving the agenda of the back and forth on its nuclear program. He said the Prime Minister shares his concern that Iran is merely stalling for time. -------------- (S) COMMENTS -------------- -- We note that Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani (HBJ) himself told NEA A/S Feltman earlier this month (septel) that the West needs to get commitments from Tehran in writing, and that it is in Iran's interest not to bring negotiations to an end. -- While Qatar does not express its concerns publicly, frustrations such as Al-Kaabi's are increasingly voiced to us in private as concern here grows about the prospect of a nuclear-armed Iran. -- HBJ's proposals to the GCC on common security fulfill a pledge that he made to Dennis Ross before Ross joined the NSC. End Key Points and Comments. ¶1. (S) MFA Director for GCC Affairs Yousef Al-Jaber told P/E Chief Rice December 20 that Qatar's proposal encouraging GCC member states to work as a group and establish common positions on military and security postures and policies is still under review by GCC members. Qatar's Prime Minister, HBJ, originally tabled the proposal May 5. ¶2. (S) According to Al-Jaber, contained in the Qatari proposal are the establishment of a GCC central command center, a joint military working group, and a joint air force squadron. Qatar's proposal, he said, also calls for increased information sharing so that all GCC members have the same information on external threats. Even though there has been no GCC decision on any of these proposals, Al-Jaber said that the individual governments making up the GCC are giving Qatar's proposal a serious and thoughtful review. ¶3. (S) Al-Jaber acknowledged that Qatar's basket of proposals have Iran in mind as a common GCC threat. While progress is slow on deciding aspects of Qatar's proposal, the GOQ was pleased that GCC leaders during the December 14-15 summit held in Kuwait called on Iran to give the IAEA full access to its nuclear facilities, while calling for a peaceful resolution to this problem that respects Iran's right for the peaceful, civilian use of nuclear energy. ¶4. (S) Separately, Qatar's former Ambassador to the United Kingdom during the Thatcher years, Sherida Al-Kaabi, told P/E Chief in late November that "time is running out" to stop Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability. He said it is vital that the U.S. focus Iran's leaders on fixing a deadline for Iran's giving up its program and not continue to allow Tehran to set the agenda. Al-Kaabi made these comments days after HBJ, his childhood friend, made a rare appearance at the former ambassador's majlis. According to Al-Kaabi, HBJ during his visit expressed concern that Iran, not the West, is driving the agenda and stalling for time. LeBaron