VZCZCXRO0622
PP RUEHDE RUEHDH RUEHDIR
DE RUEHDO #0505 2241405
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 121405Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY DOHA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9322
INFO RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS DOHA 000505 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL SENV EPA QA
SUBJECT: QATAR ACCEPTS USG PLAN TO PLACE EPA FELLOW IN 
ENVIRONMENT MINISTRY 
 
---------------- 
(SBU) KEY POINTS 
---------------- 
 
-- Qatar's Minister of Environment has agreed to a U.S. 
Environmental Protection Agency proposal to host a Science 
Fellow at the Ministry starting in January 2010 to help the 
GOQ develop an Environmental Action Plan. 
 
-- At an August 9 meeting with the Ambassador, the Minister 
also agreed to send a group of Ministry experts to the United 
States to consult with their U.S. colleagues. 
 
-- But he suggested that this trip take place after the 
arrival of the Fellow, instead of the November 2009 date 
suggested in the EPA proposal.  He wants the Fellow to 
identify the most appropriate Ministry experts to send. 
 
-- Finally, the Minister agreed to share the cost of the 
experts' trip to the United States, specifically travel and 
per diem costs. 
 
-------------- 
(SBU) COMMENTS 
-------------- 
 
-- The Minister's preference to have the EPA Fellow identify 
those in the Ministry who would be most appropriate to send 
to the United States makes a great deal of sense to us. 
 
-- The Fellow will understand the U.S. program better, its 
requirements, and its goals and objectives. 
 
-- If it is necessary for the Qatari team to travel to 
Washington in advance of the January start date, it may be 
possible for the Fellow to conduct a series of conference 
calls with the Ministry to begin a working relationship with 
her Qatari colleagues.  She could then provide input on the 
composition of the Qatari team.  She has advised the Embassy 
that many of the senior officials at the Ministry are already 
known to her through previous consultations and conferences. 
 
End Key Points and Comments. 
 
¶1. (SBU) On August 9, Ambassador met with Minister of 
Environment Abdulla bin Abud Al Meidhadi to discuss a 
proposal by the U.S. EPA, Region III, to place International 
Programs Manager Francesca Di Cosmo as a Science Fellow at 
the Ministry.  The Fellow would assist the Ministry in 
capacity building and with the development of a national 
environmental action plan.  A delegation from the Ministry 
would travel to the U.S. for consultations and support teams 
from the EPA would occasionally travel to Qatar to support 
the Fellow's work. 
 
¶2. (SBU) In advancing the plan, Ambassador stressed that the 
goal of the fellowship was not to replace anything that the 
GOQ was doing, but to support their goals and vision.  The 
work of the Fellow and the support teams would be to produce 
a framework for developing the Ministry's human and technical 
capacities so that it could achieve its stated goals. 
 
¶3. (SBU) The Minister agreed to the proposal with enthusiasm, 
pronouncing it "excellent" and "a terrific opportunity."  He 
said that the Fellow could evaluate Qatar's goals and offer 
her insights and ideas as to how they could be achieved.  He 
agreed to a start date of January 2010, and to send a group 
of experts from the Ministry to the U.S. to consult with 
their American colleagues.  He suggested that these 
consultations take place after the arrival of the Fellow, 
instead of the November 2009 date suggested in the proposal, 
so she could identify those Qatari experts best qualified to 
participate in them. 
 
¶4. (SBU) The Ambassador noted that the program would be 
without cost to the GOQ, except for the costs associated with 
travel and lodging. The Minister indicated that the GOQ would 
be willing to bear those costs, including travel costs of 
other EPA experts who would occasionally travel to Doha to 
work with the Fellow. 
LeBaron