VZCZCXRO0931
PP RUEHDE RUEHDIR
DE RUEHDO #0400/01 1431338
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221338Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7946
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0002

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000400 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ETTC PREL CU QA
SUBJECT: QATAR-CUBA: REVIEW FOR SUSPENSION OF TITLE III OF 
THE LIBERTAD ACT 
 
REF: STATE 52541 
 
¶1.  In response to reftel request, Post provides the 
following information on Qatar's relations with Cuba. 
 
------------------------------ 
Investment and Bilateral Trade 
------------------------------ 
 
¶2.  In April, state-owned real estate company Qatari Diar 
signed a USD 70 million deal with Cuba to develop a five-star 
resort on the island to consist of a 200-bedroom hotel and 60 
deluxe villas. The investment is a joint venture with Gran 
Caribe, a company owned by the Cuban Ministry of Tourism. 
Three additional sites have been identified in Cuba for 
possible future development. 
 
¶3.  A Joint Qatari-Cuban Committee for Economic, Commercial 
and Technical Cooperation met for the fourth time in Doha on 
April 19 and endorsed a number of recommendations to 
strengthen bilateral relations in a variety of fields. The 
two sides committed to initiate projects in pharmaceuticals 
and biotechnology. The Cuban delegation further expressed 
Havana's desire to work with Qatar's public and private 
sectors to implement and develop different projects designed 
to manufacture, patent and market medical products in Qatar 
and the GCC region. Qatar responded that it would deliver 
Cuba's request to GCC standardization officials during their 
next meeting. The two countries also agreed to bolster 
commercial exchanges. The Cuban delegation encouraged Qatari 
businessmen to participate in the Havana Expo in November. 
The parties also agreed to finish up all necessary steps 
towards creating the Qatari-Cuban Businessmen Council before 
the end of 2008. On Finance, the Cuban delegation expressed 
its desire to establish an agreement between the Cuban 
Commercial Bank and Qatari banks, while the Qatari side 
suggested opening a branch of Qatar National Bank in Havana. 
On tourism, Qatar Airways announced it would organize, in 
collaboration with travel agencies and the press, a tour to 
Cuba in order to encourage Qatari tourists to travel to the 
country. 
 
¶4.  There are several signed agreements in place between 
Qatar and Cuba, such as an agreement ratified in 2005 on 
encouragement and protection of investments, and a 2007 
ratification of an agreement on the avoidance of dual 
taxation and the prevention of financial evasion regarding 
income tax.  In December 2006, the Amir endorsed an agreement 
from November 2006 on administrative assistance for a customs 
law to prevent, track, and fight customs crimes.  In July 
2006, the two countries signed an air transport agreement. 
 
----------------- 
Exchange Programs 
----------------- 
 
¶5.  In May 2007, the Amir issued a decree endorsing a 
scientific and educational cooperation agreement signed in 
November 2006 between Qatar and Cuba.  Qatar's National 
Council for Culture, Art, and Heritage has a cooperation 
agreement with the Cuban Cultural Ministry.  Cuba 
occasionally participates in some Qatari cultural events such 
as the Doha International Book Fair. The Joint Committee for 
Economic, Commercial and Technical Cooperation discussed at 
its fourth session in Doha in April the possibility of 
carrying out joint scientific research projects in the health 
sector, with a special focus on primary health care. In 
April, Qatar and Cuba signed a medical services cooperation 
agreement that aims to identify areas of cooperation between 
the two countries in Qatar's public health sphere. Under the 
agreement, the Cuban side will establish and run a hospital 
in Dukhan city, some 80 km west of Qatar's capital, Doha. 
Cuban specialists will provide medical services at the 
hospital and advanced training courses to doctors, 
technicians and nurses in Qatar, as well as assess problems 
related to public health in the different state sectors.  The 
two countries also agreed to organize Cuban Cultural Week in 
Qatar during the second half of 2008.  In the energy sector, 
Qatar and Cuba agreed to develop a program to train 
executives of Cuba Petroleum Company at Qatar Petroleum. On 
the sports front, Qatar and Cuba agreed to organize training 
camps in Qatar aimed at building up the capabilities of 
Qatar's professional athletes. 
 
---------------------- 
Promotion of Democracy 
---------------------- 
 
¶6.  Post has no evidence that Qatar works to promote 
democracy and human rights in Cuba. 
 
 
DOHA 00000400  002.2 OF 002 
 
 
----------------- 
Diplomatic Visits 
----------------- 
 
¶7.  The Amir of Qatar, Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, in April 
visited Cuba, where he met with Cuban President Raul Castro. 
No details about the talks were revealed. In March, Qatar's 
Amir met with Cuban Foreign Minister Felipe Perez Roque on 
the margins of the 20th Arab League Summit in Damascus, where 
the Minister delivered a letter from Castro to the Amir. 
While leading the Cuban side to discussions of the Joint 
Qatari-Cuban Committee for Economic, Commercial and Technical 
Cooperation, Minister for Foreign Investment and Economic 
Collaboration (MINVEC) Marta Lomas Morales also met in Doha 
with the Amir. 
 
RATNEY