This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000127 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/25/2016 
TAGS: PREL IR SU SY QA UNSC
SUBJECT: A/S SILVERBERG'S MEETING WITH QATARI FOREIGN 
MINISTER 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Chase Untermeyer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary. A/S Silverberg met with FM Hamad bin Jassim 
Al Thani (HBJ) January 21 to discuss UN Security Council 
issues related to the Darfur conflict in Sudan and Syria's 
adherence to UNSC 1559. The Foreign Minister said Qatar is 
keen to cooperate with the United States. But he said he 
hoped the U.S. would "take into consideration" that Qatar is 
located in a difficult region. HBJ added that he visited Iran 
and met with President Ahmedi-Nejad on January 16 and that he 
is planning a trip to Syria soon. Qatar is concerned about 
Iran, but HBJ is not optimistic that Iran will stop its 
nuclear program. End Summary. 
 
¶2. (U) A/S Silverberg, accompanied by Ambassador Untermeyer 
and P/E Chief, met with Foreign Minister Hamad bin Jassim Al 
Thani January 21. Assistant Minister for Follow-Up Affairs, 
Mohamed al-Rumaihi, who leads a small committee handling the 
UN portfolio; Sheikh Jabor, HBJ's office director; and Acting 
American and European Affairs Director Abdullah Jabor were 
also present. 
 
------------------------ 
Qatar's Seat on the UNSC 
------------------------ 
 
¶3. (C) A/S Silverberg congratulated Qatar on assuming its 
position on the UNSC and said that it was a good opportunity 
to strengthen bilateral ties by cooperating on UN Security 
Council issues. HBJ called it "not a good time" to join the 
Council, which faces a long list of Middle East problems 
including the Iranian nuclear issue. We're keen to cooperate, 
he said, while hoping the U.S. will take into consideration 
that Qatar is in a difficult region. Qatar values consensus 
within the Council, he said. Qatar welcomes timely 
information from the U.S. and does not want to be "surprised" 
to find out the two countries hold different positions on a 
given topic late in the game. A/S Silverberg replied that 
while the U.S. respects Qatar's regional role, every member 
of the Council should act to protect the strength and 
credibility of the Council above regional interests.  A/S 
Silverberg noted that U.S.-Qatari relations were off to a 
rough start on the Council due to disagreements over Syria 
and Sudan. 
 
¶4. (C) Syria. HBJ said the Syrian president had visited Qatar 
at the beginning of the week. They had "frank" discussions. 
The Qataris emphasized that cooperation with the 
international community "is a must." We're not for changing 
regimes, he said: We fear chaos. If President Assad is not in 
power, the Syrian border with Israel will become unstable, 
and the Muslim Brotherhood will take over. This will put the 
region in great difficulty. This doesn't mean the Hariri 
murderer should get off, HBJ said. He reported that President 
Assad said he's ready to cooperate but fears he's being 
targeted directly. "Our view is to work with Syria for 
gradual change," HBJ concluded. 
 
¶5. (C) Secretary Rice has said that we are looking for change 
in behavior, noted Silverberg. Key actions are controlling 
the border with Iraq, allowing for political opening 
domestically, ending support for Palestinian rejectionist 
groups, and fully implementing UNSCR 1559. Central to 1559 is 
the need to disarm and disband. 
 
¶6. (C) HBJ said that Qatar wants two things: to get to the 
truth about the Hariri assassination and to normalize 
relations between Syria and Lebanon. He said that issues such 
as disarming militias were difficult, can't be done 
immediately, and that Syria cannot be responsible for 
disarming the militias. A/S Silverberg said that the latest 
Larsen report was clear that Lebanon had taken steps to 
control the border while Syria had not, and that the PRST 
should "call on" Syria to take these steps. HBJ compromised 
on the matter of trafficking arms across the Lebanese border, 
saying it is something they can work on and that it is "no 
problem" to name Syria specifically. He asked, Can we do 
something to get the two countries to talk? He might go to 
Syria to discuss matters within 10 days. (He confirmed to the 
Ambassador that the Amir did not visit Damascus over the 
weekend and currently has no plans to travel there.) A/S 
Silverberg answered that UNSCR 1559 calls for "normalization" 
of diplomatic relations but that a 
 predicate was mutual respect for national sovereignty. She 
advised HBJ to carry the message that Syria should "fully 
comply" with its UN Security Council obligations. 
 
¶7. (C) Sudan. A/S Silverberg said that the U.S. does not 
support modifying an independent report by a Panel of Experts 
before it is submitted to the Security Council.  Accepting 
modifications to a report will lead others to do so in the 
future, harming the objectivity of such reports. She added 
that there would be intensive discussions before any 
sanctions or other action is taken after the submission of 
the report. HBJ agreed that "we have to maintain pressure on 
the Sudanese" but that necessary checks must be made first. 
He promised to talk to the Qatari permrep about the issue. 
 
¶8. (C) HBJ mentioned that he will visit Iran January 23. We 
are very concerned, he said. The Iranians are committed to 
their nuclear weapons program, in his opinion. The Bushehr 
nuclear plant is close and, weapons activity aside, an 
accident would impact Qatar more than Iran itself. Also, Iran 
shares Qatar's natural gas field. He said he will tell the 
Iranians that they must work out the nuclear impasse with the 
EU and the international community. He committed to tell them 
not to rely on Qatar in the Security Council; we won't be the 
member "singing alone." But I'm not hopeful, he said. 
 
¶9. (C) HBJ said he has not trusted Iranians since the time of 
Khomeini. In the late 1990s, he had a dispute with President 
Khatami over Iranian accusations that Qatar was too close 
militarily to Israel and the U.S. HBJ said Ahmedi-Nejad is 
"more serious" and "doesn't lie." 
UNTERMEYER