Qatar has a strong standing in the Arab world. Qatar is an active member of the Arab League (as well as a host to some of its meetings) and a member of 24 other Arab Organisations including Arab Industrial Development Organization, Arab Monetary Fund and The Arab Fund for Economic & Social Development. Qatar is also a member of the Gulf Co-operation Council and a signatory to its economic and defence agreements.

Qatar 's relations with Saudi Arabia which is its only land neighbour have improved markedly since their low point in September 1992 when a Qatari border post was allegedly attacked by Saudi forces resulting in two deaths. Since then a joint commission has been set up to demarcate the border as agreed between the two governments. At the same time, Qatar 's dispute with Bahrain over the Hawar Islands and neighboring islands of Zubarah and Janan was resolved in 2001 by a ruling from the International Court of Justice in the Hague . As a result of the ruling sovereignty over the Hawar Islands wsd awarded to Bahrain, whilst Qatar retained the neighboring islands of Zubarah and Janan.

Qatar is a member of the following international organizations:

AMF - Arab Monetary Fund

G-77 - Group of 77

GCC - Gulf Cooperation Council

IAEA - International Atomic Energy Agency

IBRD - International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (World Bank)

ICC - International Chamber of Commerce

ICRM - International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement

IMF - International Monetary Fund

LAS - League of Arab States

NAM - Nonaligned Movement

OAPEC - Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries

OAS (observer) - Organization of American States

OPCW - Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

OPEC - Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries

UN - United Nations

UNSC (temporary) - United Nations Security Council

WTO - World Trade Organization

Qatar is also a member of other international organisations such as:

FAO, ABEDA, AFESD, ICAO, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IDB, ISO, ITU, MIGA, OIC, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO

It is a testament to Qatar's solid foreign policy, that is has been grated a temporary UN Security Council membership, effective from January 200 6. Some attribute this selection to the close ties Qatar has forged with the US, since the American invasion of Iraq in 200 3. As a result of this move, Qatar's foreign policy will continue to be more independent of its regional neighbors.

In an unusual move, in April of 2006 Qatar announced it will donate approximately US$50m to the Hamas-led government of the Palestinian Authority. This step is yet another testament to the independence of Qatari foreign policy. This move showed that in order to maintain its independence, Qatar is ready to make decisions which are against the interest of allies, including the US.

However, the most interesting factor about Qatar's resilient foreign policy is its backing of the Al-Jazeera news agency. Al Jazeera was established in late 1996, with a starting grant of $150 Million from the Emir of Qatar. It has since then spearheaded Arab international news coverage. The Chairman of Al Jazeera is Sheikh Hamad bin Thamer al-Thani , a distant cousin of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani .

The channel has been a subject of controversy in the Arab world. It has received criticism from all over the region – Algeria, Bahrain, Morocco, Egypt. Recently it was even subjected to criticism from Western countries such as Spain and the US – over incidents involving certain journalistic ties to Al Qaeda.

Despite this criticism, Qatar has consistently backed the Channel. Not long ago it agreed to continue subsidizing the channel until it becomes economically independent. Qatar's improved relations with Bahrain have allowed Al Jazeera to re-start its coverage there.

All in all, the channel is gaining a foot hold on the regional stage. A foot hold that would not have been possible without Qatar's aid, and independent foreign policy. Proof of this one may find in BBC's failed attempt to begin an Arab-speaking broadcast in the region. An attempt which failed due to Saudi Arabia's pressure on the British broadcasting channel, some claim.

By: Meir Javedanfar and Tal Gurevich - www.meepas.com

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