VZCZCXRO8996
PP RUEHROV
DE RUEHDO #0421/01 1761255
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 251255Z JUN 09 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9185
INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DOHA 000421 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO QA EG IS SA
SUBJECT: QATARI PREMIER LAUDS RELATIONS WITH U.S. IN AL-JAZEERA 
INTERVIEW 
 
-------------- 
(U) KEY POINTS 
-------------- 
 
-- In a June 24 interview on Al Jazeera Arabic, Prime Minister and 
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani discussed 
Qatar's sometimes complicated relationships with the U.S., Israel, 
Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. 
 
-- The PM characterized Qatar's relationship with the U.S. as 
strategic despite obvious differences on some regional issues.  He 
expressed high hope that the Obama administration is serious about 
moving forward on Middle East peace, noting that Qatar will re-open 
the Israeli commercial office in Doha once Israel improves the 
living condition of the Palestinians. 
 
-- He described Saudi Arabia, and Qatar's relationship with it, in 
glowing terms, saying that misunderstandings between the two 
countries, including border disputes, have been resolved. 
 
-- Gaza remains the center of Qatar's dispute with Egypt, and the PM 
dismissed speculation that Qatar demanded a leadership role in 
Gaza's rehabilitation. 
 
-------------- 
(SBU) COMMENTS 
-------------- 
 
-- The PM's explicit references to Qatar's alignment with the U.S. 
are notable.  While recognizing differences of opinion, he spoke 
warmly of the Obama Administration and its actions to date, 
indicating publicly that Qatar would be receptive to U.S. efforts to 
deepen the bilateral political relationship. 
 
-- The Premier's effusive treatment of Saudi Arabia testifies to the 
palpable improvement in Qatari-Saudi relations over the last year, 
beginning with the demarcation of the countries' disputed maritime 
border.  Qatar has invested substantial effort in re-building its 
relationship with Saudi Arabia in the wake of tensions surrounding 
Al Jazeera's coverage of the Kingdom. 
 
-- His critical remarks on Egypt stood in sharp contrast, suggesting 
that Qatar is in no rush to repair a relationship strained during 
the Gaza war. 
 
End Key Points and Comments. 
 
------------- 
UNITED STATES 
------------- 
 
¶1. (U) Speaking in an extended interview on June 24 with Al Jazeera 
Arabic television, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Shaykh 
Hamad Bin Jassim Al Thani said that Qatar's relations with the U.S. 
are strategic.  However, he said, "Let's be obvious ... there is a 
difference of views in some matters," and he noted  that any policy 
disagreements are largely of a regional nature. 
 
¶2. (U) The PM remarked that Qatar has high hope in the new 
Administration, especially after recent steps taken by President 
Obama.  He said he believes that the Administration is serious in 
moving forward on Middle East peace and committed to resolving the 
Palestinian issue.  The Premier declared that the U.S. is Qatar's 
friend, and Qatar is willing to help it. 
 
------ 
ISRAEL 
------ 
 
¶3. (U) The Premier briefly talked about Qatar's relations with 
Israel, noting that the Israeli commercial office in Doha, which was 
closed during the Gaza War, will be re-opened once Israel improves 
the living condition of the Palestinians.  He also mentioned Qatari 
efforts to secure the release of Israeli prisoner Gilad Shalit. 
 
------------ 
SAUDI ARABIA 
------------ 
 
¶4. (U) The Prime Minister underlined that maintaining a good 
relationship with Saudi Arabia is important for Qatar and said he 
considered Saudi Arabia the backbone of the Gulf Cooperation Council 
(GCC).  The PM lauded the wisdom of Qatari Amir Shaykh Hamad Bin 
Khalifa Al Thani and King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia in 
ending the differences between the two countries. 
 
¶5. (U) The Prime Minister said there had been misunderstandings 
between Qatar and Saudi Arabia on some views, but these matters have 
been resolved, and relations between the two countries are now 
 
DOHA 00000421  002 OF 002 
 
 
excellent.  The two sides had settled the maritime border dispute 
surrounding Khor Al Udeid, which had posed a huge obstacle to their 
relationship.  He described Saudi-Qatari ties as strategic and 
"historic and distinguished," built on more than one hundred years 
of trust between the two ruling families and their two countries. 
Saudi Arabia, he added, is an important county in the region. 
 
¶6. (U) Tensions between the two countries over Al-Jazeera are 
over-blown; he characterized them as a creation of the media.  In 
any case, mutual bonds of love and interest in the stability of the 
region outweigh differences over Al Jazeera.  The Prime Minister 
lauded King Abdullah's recent speech at the Kuwait Economic Summit. 
His sincerity in wanting to resolve Arab conflicts had a big effect 
on the gathering, he believed. 
 
¶7. (U) Referring to the countries' Joint-Coordination Committee that 
was established in 2008 and is dedicated to the development of the 
bilateral relationship, the PM expressed the hope that the 
Qatari-Saudi relationship would progress from good to great. 
 
----- 
EGYPT 
----- 
 
¶8. (U) Responding to a question on Qatar being in conflict with 
Egypt, the Premier rejected the view that Qatar seeks conflicts with 
others and stated that "Qatar has no time to deal with any party in 
this way."  Asked about accusations that Qatar participated in 
Hezbollah's sabotage campaign in Egypt, the Prime Minister said 
Qatar respects Egypt and the Egyptian people for their struggle over 
the years and their concerns about Arab issues.  He added that Qatar 
respects President Mubarak for his work on Arab relations, remarking 
that Qatar's differences with Egypt are on "the Gaza issue." 
 
¶9. (U) He said the allegations that Qatar was responsible for the 
2007 Hamas coup in Gaza are ridiculous, remarking that the country 
"does not intervene in cases involving other countries."  The 
Premier expressed surprise that Qatar has been associated with a 
plot by Hezbollah to destabilize Egypt, insisting that Qatar would 
not benefit from instability in Egypt.  He went on to blame Egypt 
for the tensions in the relationship, implying that certain members 
of the government, though not President Mubarak himself, would 
benefit from a deterioration in relations. 
 
¶10. (U) The PM dismissed reports that Qatar demanded to host a 
meeting at the start of the year on rehabilitation in Gaza, saying 
that Qatar was merely calling for coordination among GCC countries 
on the reconstruction effort.  He stressed that any funds they 
collect for this purpose must be provided directly to those 
affected. 
 
 
LEBARON