US embassy cable - 05DOHA1657

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 DOHA 001657 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR R, P AND NEA/PD, NEA/ARPI 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/28/2010 
TAGS: EAID, KDEM, KPAO, PHUM, PREL, QA, ALJAZEERA 
SUBJECT: COMBATING EXTREMISM: QATAR 
 
REF: A. DOHA 203 
     B. DOHA 324 
     C. DOHA 1226 
     D. DOHA 910 
     E. DOHA 561 AND PREVIOUS 
 
Classified By: Ambassador C. Untermeyer, Reasons 1.4 (b&d) 
 
1. (S) The extent and nature of extremism in Qatar is limited 
by several factors. One is Qatar,s considerable wealth, 
which enables it to steer clear of the poverty-inspired 
extremism affecting poorer nations. Other factors are the 
small size of the country (comparable to Connecticut) and 
population (less than 800,000 inhabitants, of whom 
four-fifths are expatriates).  To date, only a handful of 
Qatari nationals have been found to participate in 
extremist-inspired activities in places such as Iraq and 
Afghanistan, and the State Department evaluates the threat of 
indigenous terrorism as low in Qatar. The Embassy is aware of 
pockets of dissatisfied elements with extremist tendencies 
among Qataris and some expatriates here, but these elements 
do not appear linked or organized in ways that constitute a 
serious threat. 
 
2. (S) U.S. outreach and engagement efforts in Qatar 
generally take place in a favorable environment. Bolstered by 
the country,s significant wealth (Qatar has the highest GDP 
per capita income in the world), the Emir of Qatar has been 
driving a broad political and educational modernization 
program since 1995. 
 
Host government initiatives 
--------------------------- 
 
3. (C) The US plays a unique role as Qatar,s chosen 
strategic partner in its national security, industrial 
development and education reform plans. As a result, the role 
of U.S. outreach and engagement in Qatar is less to provide 
inspiration and innovation than it is to facilitate Qatari 
initiatives in these areas. The following are some of the 
Qatari government initiatives that play an important role in 
combating extremism: 
 
Education Reform 
----------------- 
 
4. (SBU) Revamping of the K-12 curriculum:  The Qatari 
government has undertaken a sweeping revamping of the 
education system in Qatar, analyzing and reissuing text 
books, intensifying focus on English language skills, math, 
science and critical thinking skills, with a commensurate 
decreased emphasis on religious education. 
 
5. (SBU) Recruitment of U.S. college branch campuses: Five 
major U.S. colleges (Texas A&M, Weill-Cornell, 
Carnegie-Mellon, Virginia Commonwealth University and 
Georgetown University) have now established branch campuses 
in Doha, bringing a resource-rich U.S.-style education to the 
doorstep not just of Qataris and residents of Qatar, but of 
nationals and residents throughout the Gulf region. 
 
Political Reform 
----------------- 
 
6. (C) Increasing opportunities for political participation 
and empowerment:  Political reforms aligned on the side of 
combating extremism have included a recently promulgated 
Qatari constitution that includes guarantees of civil rights 
and paves the way for the election of a National Advisory 
Council of 45 members (two-thirds elected and one-third 
appointed by the Emir).  Qatari women will vote and compete 
on an equal basis with male candidates. 
 
Promoting religious tolerance; fostering debate 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
7. (C) Conference for Religious Dialogue (Ref C): Already 
known for hosting an annual conference known as the 
Muslim-Christian Dialogue since 2003, the government of Qatar 
expanded the scope of this conference in 2005 to include for 
the first time representatives of the Jewish faith. 
Representatives from the three monotheistic religions were 
invited, including the Anglican Church, the Coptic Church, 
the Orthodox Church, the Vatican and Jewish Rabbis, among 
others. 
 
8. (C) Churches in Qatar (Ref D): There are generally 
amicable, mutually respectful relations between persons of 
differing religious belief in Qatari society. Qatari Muslims 
are 90 percent Sunni and 10 percent Shia and there is no 
notable friction between the two groups.  The majority of 
Qatar,s non-citizen population consists of  South Asian, 
South East Asian or expatriate Arab nationals who represent 
the Muslim, Christian, Hindu, Buddhist and Baha,i faiths, 
among others.  In 2005, the Qatari government signed a 
50-year lease with representatives of Christian churches in 
Qatar, permitting them to erect six churches on a 500,000 
square meter plot of land in Doha. 
9. (C) The Doha Debates (Ref E): The state-funded Qatar 
Foundation sponsors an ongoing series of public debates, 
hosted by BBC veteran talk show host Tim Sebastian. The 
debates, which explore issues of topical importance and 
general interest (the most recent motion, for the sixth 
debate, was: &Arab governments have failed the Palestinian 
people8) are recorded and subsequently televised on BBC 
World TV. The latest debate will also be broadcast on BBC 
World Radio. The debate format pits two prominent speakers 
against two others, and after their exchanges, the floor is 
opened to the audience, who are local members of the public. 
The debates are usually very lively and well-attended, with 
considerable audience participation. 
 
10. (C) In February 2005, the Qatari government permitted 
Muslim leaders from the Middle East, North Africa and 
Indonesia to convene a conference entitled &Global 
Anti-Aggression Campaign by Peaceful Means8 (Ref B).  The 
conference focused on hostility experienced by Islamic 
communities in different countries. Several speakers appealed 
for the conference to focus on constructive self-examination 
of problems and needs within the Islamic community and to 
avoid facile attribution of problems to machinations of the 
West. 
 
Engagement with Islamists 
-------------------------- 
 
11. (C)  Qatar is the home-base of Yusuf Al Qaradawi, a 
prominent Islamic cleric who hosts a weekly show on the 
pan-Arab satellite TV channel Al Jazeera, and whose sermons 
often include strident denunciations of U.S. activities and 
policies. (Qaradawi has also publicly denounced terrorist 
activities such as the 9/11 attacks and the more recent 
bombings in London and Sharm Al-Sheikh and labeled Al Qaeda 
followers such as Al Zarqawi &criminals.8) Post maintains 
an active ongoing dialogue with Al Qaradawi, and also 
continually engages conservative and Islamist elements of 
Qatari society, including representatives of &Islam 
Online,8 the Islamic internet site headquartered in Doha. 
Post is also actively engaged with Al Jazeera itself and 
pursues a policy aimed at increasing Al Jazeera,s 
journalistic professionalism and toning down its sometimes 
inflammatory programming. 
 
Terrorism Financing 
------------------- 
 
12. (C) Qatar has been a full and responsive partner in our 
campaigns against terrorism and terrorist financing (Ref A). 
Qatar actively seeks U.S. advice and assistance to augment 
its anti-terrorism capabilities, strengthen relevant laws, 
and enhance intelligence exchange.  The government has been 
responsive to requests from the U.S. to identify and freeze 
assets of organizations and individuals designated as Foreign 
Terrorism Organizations.  Qatar has also coordinated closely 
with the U.S. on centralization and restructuring of 
charitable donation oversight. 
 
The Press 
--------- 
 
13. (C) The local Qatari press is dominated by the print 
media (three Arabic language dailies and two English language 
dailies), all of which are often critical of USG policies in 
the region and on a global level. Although all publications 
foster a limited degree of public debate over internal 
governmental policies and some social issues, they also 
practice fairly rigorous self-censorship on issues related to 
both religion and Qatari foreign policy. The Qatari press in 
general provides willing coverage of Embassy activities and 
of prepared policy statements from the Ambassador, including 
those that promote USG anti-extremism positions. Post has 
taken and will continue to take advantage of the platform 
provided by local press to engage all elements of Qatari 
national and expatriate society, including conservative and 
Islamist elements. 
 
Exchange programs 
----------------- 
 
14. (SBU) Post continues to build its local database of US 
alumni among Qatari and long-term expatriate residents of 
Qatar. Exchange programs - whether they have a specific 
religious tolerance component or not -- are among the most 
effective anti-extremism tools available to post: having 
Muslim men and women see America and Americans with their own 
eyes wins hearts and minds, and each heart and each mind won 
in this fashion has a multiplier effect in local society. The 
addition of MEPI resources has expanded the resources 
available for exchange programs from Qatar, particularly with 
regard to women and youth. 
15. (C) Embassy comment:  Qatar,s high degree of cooperation 
and coordination with the U.S. on countering extremism within 
its borders is only partially rooted in the Qatari 
leadership,s commitment to a long term strategic 
relationship with the U.S.  It is more deeply rooted in the 
clear understanding that their ambitious development 
aspirations depend on the maintenance of stability and 
security in Qatar and in the Gulf region.  Knowing they are 
located a very dangerous neighborhood, Qatar,s leaders 
maintain a keen focus on security related matters.  End 
Comment. 
UNTERMEYER