142
BRITISH EMBASSY
DOHA QATAR
wv kelly wv Clit
wr
Young
3
3 v
TC Flear Esq
MED
FCO
Dear Tim,
24 January 1987
Mr Fitriner-luuke, FED
Ec! My
Brinkley, Juvier vervumery
spuso
Mr Aubliivver, Assessments stutt
Rejerrin oturmen
GCC DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH COMMUNIST STATES
1.
iled
When I called on Mohammed Al Khalifa, Director of Political Affairs in the Qatar Foreign Ministry, on 22 January, he told me that he had information that Saudi Arabia would soon enter into diplomatic relations with communist China. Mohammed alleged that after this, the Saudis would be ready to enter into diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union and that the visit of the Saudi Oil Minister to Russia was a preparatory step in this direction.
2.
Mohammed said that once Saudi Arabia had taken these steps, Qatar would follow suit. He alleged that even if resident Soviet Embassies were heavily staffed with intelligence officers, this would not cause Qatar great difficulties, as Qatar had no sensitive secrets to protect. I doubt whether the Amiri Diwan or the security authorities here will see the Russians in the same light.
RE!
ни в огор
•
1 OMAR BICY
10
Yo'rna
ev.
Julian
cc: Chanceries: Riyadh,
Bahrain Kuwait -Dubai Abu Dhabi Muscat
Pening
сод
HKD
&
CONFIDENTIAL
JF Walker
China selalims the
Q
i Sullivan fi
17
2/2
Ith