Of late, there has been a warming in Egypt-Qatar relations, manifest in the exchange of visits between Egyptian and Qatari leaders, in the tightening of economic and trade cooperation, and in mutually sympathetic articles in the Egyptian and the Qatari press. Until recently relations were tense, as a result of differing positions on the Palestinian issue, Israel's military policy in Gaza, and the situation in Darfur, and also in light of Qatar's inclination toward Iran, the affair of the Hizbullah cell exposed in Egypt - which Egypt regarded as an Iranian-Syrian-Qatari conspiracy[1] - and Egypt's criticism of what it regarded as a negative attitude towards it on the part of the Qatari media, especially the Al-Jazeera TV channel.[2]
In late November 2010, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak visited Qatar as the head of a delegation that included Egypt's foreign, communications, trade, and industry ministers, and its intelligence chief, 'Omar Suleiman. Meetings between Mubarak and Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Aal Thani dealt with bilateral cooperation in areas of economy, trade, tourism, energy, development, and investment. Other issues addressed were the situation of Egyptian workers in Qatar and general Middle East affairs, including the Palestinian issue, the situation in Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, Somalia, and Sudan, and issues of Gulf security. The leaders agreed to reinstate the Egypt-Qatar Supreme Joint Committee, headed by the Egyptian and Qatari prime ministers. Mubarak also expressed support for Qatar as the host of the 2022 World Cup; subsequently, Egypt indeed voted for Qatar, and hence considers itself a partner in Qatar's win, which is seen as an achievement for both Qatar and the Arab world at large.[3]
On November 29, 2010, the Qatari Emir paid a brief private visit to Egypt,[4] while on December 11, 2010, President Mubarak received Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim bin Jaber Aal Thani for a meeting in Cairo.[5]
Mubarak's visit to Qatar was given considerable importance in both countries, reflecting the thaw in relations. While Egypt has long counted Qatar as a member of the "resistance camp," an ally of Iran, Syria, Hizbullah, and Hamas, today it is striving to draw Qatar into the moderate camp, in a bid to thwart Iran's aspirations in the region. The Qatari press hinted that the warming in relations was also tied to the issues of Lebanon and the Palestinian reconciliation, while stressing that Qatar had no intention of usurping either Egypt's role in the Palestinian issue or the Saudi-Syrian role in Lebanon.
Following are excerpts from statements by Egyptian and Qatari leaders and from articles in the two countries' presses regarding the improvement in relations:
Mubarak: There Was Never a Freeze in Relations
Speaking on Al-Jazeera TV during his visit to Qatar, Egyptian President Mubarak said that there is no need to turn over a new leaf in Egypt-Qatar relations because the relations had never flagged. He added: "I am [now] meeting with the honorable [Qatari] Emir. We met in Sirt twice, and telephone contact between [us] has never stopped..." Asked whether an Egyptian-Qatari initiative is in the works for advancing the intra-Palestinian reconciliation, Mubarak responded: "We are working [on it] and so are our Qatari brothers, and, as usual, we stay in touch and coordinate [our] efforts on the Palestinian issue..." The Qatari Emir, for his part, expressed willingness to cooperate with Egypt in all domains, calling Egypt "the armor of the Arab region." He said that Egypt and Qatar are both very concerned about the situation in Gaza, adding: "Egypt is the largest Arab country, which, as usual, bears the greater burden. We are in constant touch with Egypt and with other Arab countries." He stated further that Syria and Saudi Arabia were handling the Lebanon issue and wished them luck in this matter.[6]
Al-Gumhouriyya Editor: Qatar Now Realizes that Iran Has Been Taking Advantage of It
Muhammad 'Ali Ibrahim, editor of the Egyptian government daily Al-Gumhouriyya, wrote: "It is no secret that the relations between Egypt and Qatar were stressed [until recently]. Al-Jazeera's [attitude towards Egypt] is not the only reason. [Another reason is] the two countries' differing and even opposed positions on [various] Arab issues, [such as] Palestine and Lebanon, the situation in Sudan, Iran's position vis-à-vis some of the Gulf states, and the intra-Palestinian national reconciliation, which has been a bone of contention between Doha and Cairo. But recently there has been a breakthrough in some [of these domains]. [Our] disagreements with [our] Qatari brothers are not [on fundamental] strategic or regional issues, but boil down to differences of opinion on how [various problems] should be resolved. While Egyptian diplomacy has striven to achieve a breakthrough and resolve these problems by enlisting international and Arab efforts, [other] regional forces have sought to thwart these efforts by trying to link the Arab problems to certain other issues. This interference had a [negative] impact on joint Arab activity overall.
"However, to Doha's credit it must be said that it did not let the political disagreements [with Egypt affect its attitude towards] the Egyptian workers in Qatar, which shows that it draws a distinction between political disputes and the relations between the two peoples...
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"[The thaw in relations continued at] the five-party summit in Libya last summer, held in anticipation of the October [2010] Arab summit in Sirt... During the [Sirt] summit [itself], the two sides drew even closer on various issues... Mubarak sees the security of the Gulf as the main gate to Egypt's national security..."[7]
In another article, Ibrahim wrote: "The Arab [identity] of the Gulf is a fundamental [principle] of Egypt's foreign policy... The current situation in Iraq has caused the states of the Arab Gulf to realize the danger inherent in making alliances with Iran and in agreeing to a hudna [truce] with it at the expense of Arab causes. For a while, [our] Qatari brothers thought that by pinning their hopes on Iran-backed Hamas, they might see a breakthrough in the Palestinian issue. Qatar sought political glory, thinking this would advance the Arab cause; however, [the truth was] that Iran's temporary alliance with it was [only] aimed at finding alternative funding sources for Hamas and Hizbullah. Mubarak told the Gulf leaders more than once that Iran was using their money to promote its own goals, and now [the truth of] this is clear... Mubarak's political position, which he has shared with the Gulf states, is that Iran must be given no opportunity to interfere in our affairs, since [Iran] aims to restore the Persian glory, at the expense of the Arabs and Muslims..."[8]
Roz Al-Yousef Editor: Egypt Overlooked Al-Jazeera Issue in Favor of Other Interests
'Abdallah Kamal, editor of the Egyptian daily Roz Al-Yousuf, who accompanied Mubarak on his visit to Qatar, wrote: "I can say that the issue of Al-Jazeera and the insults [it has directed] at Egypt did not even come up in the talks [between the Egyptian President and the Qatari Emir]. Egypt has apparently decided to draw a line between its relations with Qatar in all domains and the conduct of the Al-Jazeera channel, even if this biased and non-objective channel has strong ties with certain elements in Qatar. This, because the various interests of both countries cannot hang upon [one] point of contention that has been clouding [their] relations for years, especially when there are mutual interests that cannot be ignored, and [when various factors] have completely changed the situation in the region. Moreover, driving a wedge [between the two countries] is the goal of certain elements that benefit from Al-Jazeera's ongoing attacks on Egypt... The President made this visit for the sake of Egypt's various political and economic interests..."[9]
Qatari Daily: Mubarak's Visit – A Step towards Inter-Arab Reconciliation
An editorial in the Qatari daily Al-Sharq stated: "The Qatari-Egyptian summit was [another] step on the way to achieving Arab reconciliation and strengthening [joint] Arab activity, after the previous meeting between the Qatari Emir... and the Egyptian President... at the Sirt summit. The bilateral talks held yesterday [November 24, 2010] between the two were significant in terms of their timing, since they coincide with tension in Lebanon and an Arab effort to diffuse [this tension], as well as an unsuccessful effort to bring about an [inter-]Palestinian reconciliation. The Emir's statements emphasized that Qatar would not [challenge] the efforts of other Arab states, [such as the] Saudi-Syrian effort to maintain security in Lebanon and prevent the renewal of strife [there]... Also, Qatar is following the Egyptian efforts to bring about a reconciliation between the Palestinian sides, and is maintaining contact with the Arab states in a bid to end the tragedy in Gaza.
"The summit [between the Qatari Emir and the Egyptian President] was also important in terms of presenting a united Arab front vis-à-vis Israel's stubbornness and the wiliness of the Netanyahu government in [its handling of the Israeli-Palestinian] negotiations and in the continued building of settlements. [Israel's conduct] makes it a necessity for Doha and Cairo to coordinate their positions, in order to tighten Arab cooperation and support the Palestinian position. Mubarak's visit to Doha, which comes four years after his last visit in 2006, is important for the bilateral relations [between the two countries], because it gives them a push, allowing Doha to complete investment projects in Egypt and launch new projects, Mubarak having promised the Emir to remove all obstacles to Qatari investments in [his country]..."[10]
[1] See MEMRI Inquiry and Analysis No. 512, "Egypt: The Hizbullah Cell in Egypt - A Joint Conspiracy by Iran, Syria, Qatar, Hizbullah, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood," April 27, 2009, Egypt: The Hizbullah Cell in Egypt – A Joint Conspiracy by Iran, Syria, Qatar, Hizbullah, Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
[2] On tensions between Egypt and Qatar over recent years, see MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis Series Report No.543, "Solving the Darfur Crisis: The U.S. Prefers Qatar to Egypt as Mediator," August 19, 2009, Solving the Darfur Crisis: The U.S. Prefers Qatar to Egypt As Mediator; MEMRI Special Dispatch No.2368, "Editor of Egyptian Government Daily Attacks Qatari Emir and His Wife," May 22, 2009, Editor of Egyptian Government Daily Attacks Qatari Emir and His Wife; MEMRI Special Dispatch No.2258, "Egyptian Press Attacks Qatar," February 24, 2009, Egyptian Press Attacks Qatar; MEMRI Special Dispatch No.1996, "Editor of Egyptian Daily: Qatar Is a Trojan Horse that Harms Arab Interests," July 22, 2008, Editor of Egyptian Daily: Qatar Is a Trojan Horse that Harms Arab Interests.
[3] Al-Ahram (Egypt), November 25, 2010.
[4] Al-Ahram (Egypt), November 30, 2010.
[5] Al-Ahram (Egypt), December 12, 2010.
[6] Al-Ahram (Egypt), November 25, 2010.
[7] Al-Gumhouriyya (Egypt), November 23, 2010.
[8] Al-Gumhouriyya (Egypt), November 25, 2010.
[9] Roz Al-Yousuf (Egypt), November 25, 2010.
[10] Al-Sharq (Qatar), November 25, 2010.
