WikiLeaks tells tale of Qatar and Kosovo

Qatar’s Assistant FM Mohamad Al-Rumaihi told U.S. Ambassador Joseph LeBaron that his country did not recognize Kosovo "out of respect for Russia". This is according to one of the U.S. diplomatic dispatches published by the WikiLeaks website. WikiLeaks tells tale of Qatar and Kosovo According to the cable sent by the U.S. embassy in Doha on December 21, 2009, Al-Rumaihi said that the vote of Qatar in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) in favor of Kosovo showed "genuine sympathy of Qatar for Kosovo's independence". But, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev requested that Qatar wait before recognizing Kosovo, Al-Rumaihi allegedly said, adding that his country complied out of its respect for Russia. Al-Rumaihi also suggested to LeBaron that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should ask Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr Al Thani about the date of a potential recognition. He also said that Qatar was approached by the organizers of a British project with a request that, once the Qatari government formally recognizes Kosovo, its good relations with the government in Pristina should be used "to protect the Christian heritage in Kosovo", says the dispatch. Meanwhile, Albanian language media in Kosovo are reporting that the WikLeaks cables include "668 confidential files sent by the U.S. embassy in Pristina" - thought to contain "information about the situation in Kosovo and U.S. diplomats' opinions about local politicians". Only a small fraction of the quarter of a million cables have thus far been published by the whistleblowing website.

WikiLeaks tells tale of Qatar and Kosovo

According to the cable sent by the U.S. embassy in Doha on December 21, 2009, Al-Rumaihi said that the vote of Qatar in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB) in favor of Kosovo showed "genuine sympathy of Qatar for Kosovo's independence".

But, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev requested that Qatar wait before recognizing Kosovo, Al-Rumaihi allegedly said, adding that his country complied out of its respect for Russia.

Al-Rumaihi also suggested to LeBaron that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should ask Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabr Al Thani about the date of a potential recognition.

He also said that Qatar was approached by the organizers of a British project with a request that, once the Qatari government formally recognizes Kosovo, its good relations with the government in Priština should be used "to protect the Christian heritage in Kosovo", says the dispatch.

Meanwhile, Albanian language media in Kosovo are reporting that the WikLeaks cables include "668 confidential files sent by the U.S. embassy in Priština" - thought to contain "information about the situation in Kosovo and U.S. diplomats' opinions about local politicians".

Only a small fraction of the quarter of a million cables have thus far been published by the whistleblowing website.