Hamad denied differences with Saudi Arabia were prompted by Qatar’s wooing the U.S. by giving it free hand in Al-Udied airbase

DOHA, October 17 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) – Qatari Foreign Minister  Hamad bin Jassem Al-Thani repudiated Wednesday, October 16, media reports that Iraqi President Saddam Hussein had threatened to strike Qatar with missiles if it allows U.S. to use Al-Udeid base in attacking Iraq.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera Channel Wednesday, Hamad stressed that nothing to that end was ever said during his meeting with Saddam in Baghdad in August.

Leading Egyptian newspaper, Al-Gumhooreya, reported late August, following a visit by the Qatari Foreign Minister to Iraq – that the Iraqi President had a row with Hamad and threatened him to launch missiles against Qatar in case a fresh U.S.-led war on Iraq is launched from the sprawling Al-Udeid base in Qatar.

Hamad denied the Al-Gumhooreya report carried by Western media, but lashed out at critics of his country over Al-Udeid base.

"There are 120 aircraft in Al-Udied while the attack on Iraq requires some 1000 aircraft. From were would the other aircraft come?" Hamad asked.

"Many of those who criticize us had relations and military bases when their interests required so. Now they are denying us what they have done themselves," he added.

Asked who was running things in the base, he said: "Of course when the Americans are present in any place they do not allow any body else to be in control. "

The Qatari foreign minister admitted misunderstanding and tension in his country's relations with Saudi Arabia, asserting that this would be handled via "brotherly dialogue".

He categorically denied that the differences were prompted by the two countries' competition to woo the United States and that Qatar won the U.S. over through giving U.S. troops free hand in Al-Udied airbase.

"The Americans are present in almost all Gulf Cooperation Council countries. There is no room for competition in this track," Hamad said.

Hamad also refuted reports that he had proposed to Saddam during the same meeting the idea of ceding power in Iraq and going to exile in any country of his own choice.

"This does not comply with our policy that opposes any regime change forced from outside," he said.

The British newspaper, the Independent, reported Sunday, September 29, that Saddam was furious when the Qatari minister raised the issue of exile with him in their August meeting and "angrily asked him to leave."

Hamad expressed his conviction that Iraq's unconditional approval of the return of U.N. arms inspectors came at a wrong timing.

"I told the Iraqis it would be too late for them to accept the inspectors' return now and that it would be better to wait until the U.N. Security Council issues a resolution and then approve it because it would undoubtedly request the return of inspectors," he added.

Taking up the Palestinian cause, Hamad dismissed all Arab efforts as a waste of time, asserting that at the end the U.S.-drawn scenario is the one that will be enforced.

"We have been defeated for a long time, even the Palestinian resistance we want to extinguish," said Qatar's foreign minister.

He also lambasted Arab ambassadors in Washington, saying that after the 9-11 attacks each of them tried to woo the Americans even at the expense of fellow Arab countries.

Hamad dubbed the Arab diplomats as "thieves" who were fighting to please the United States, by smearing the image of each other.

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