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  SPIEGEL Interview with the Emir of Qatar: 'We Are Coming to Invest'

SPIEGEL Interview with the Emir of Qatar 'We Are Coming to Invest'

Part 2: 'China, India and Russia Are Coming'

SPIEGEL: Who will be the world's economic superpower after this crisis?

Hamad: China is coming, India is coming and Russia is on its way, too, although they are suffering because the price of oil has come down. China has almost 30 million jobless now. But I think they will recover. I don't know if America and Europe will still be leading. The main thing now, though, is that they prevent the world economy from collapsing.

SPIEGEL: Europe has staked its future on natural gas, but we are concerned about supplies. Can Qatar step in to fill the breach if Russia fails to deliver?

Hamad: We are selling gas to Italy, Spain, Belgium and, starting within the next few weeks, to Britain. I know that the Germans prefer to have their own gas supply, but I think our gas could come to Germany through another European country. However, this depends on the quantities we have on hand and the price.

SPIEGEL: Europeans are also worried about the creation of a so-called Gas-OPEC. Is there another cartel in the making that will be able to set prices at will?

Hamad: With OPEC they have a cartel. Why don't we have this gas cartel as well? And why don't we make a sort of agreement between consumers and producers? I wouldn't mind such a gas cartel, but it will take time because some countries today sell for high prices and others sell for low prices. It will be hard for those selling high to bring their prices down. So we will need time.

SPIEGEL: Will gas, like oil, eventually be sold on the spot market, where prices change on a daily basis?

Hamad: You cannot handle gas the way you do oil. To shut down gas takes six months, and to open it again takes another three to four months. For me it is more secure to supply gas than oil. If you come to Qatar to reach an agreement we will make it for 20 years. We cannot stop it at will. And, for example, if you are unable to take it you will still have to pay us. For us, it is a win-win-project.

SPIEGEL: Your country is located just 180 kilometers from the shores of Iran. Could you live with a nuclear-armed Iran?

Hamad: We are a small country and we can live with anything around us. We will not be an enemy to anybody, but of course we will not allow anybody to use us against others. We will not, for example, stand with America against Iran. For sure. Iran never bothered us, it never created a problem for us.

SPIEGEL: So will you join Iran in its stance against America? When he was here in Doha, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad suggested the creation of a regional Gulf security pact that would include Iran.

Hamad: It will be hard for the Gulf countries to be with Iran against the United States. And I believe Iran knows this. But let us ask ourselves: Why don't we establish a common market with the Iranians?

SPIEGEL: A precondition for that would be that you would have to defy sanctions imposed against Iran by the United Nations. How do you judge US President Barack Obama's approach to Tehran?

Hamad: We were happy about this approach, but we are waiting for President Obama to do more about the Middle East. It is not only Iran. The Palestinians, the Iraqis, many countries suffered because of American policy. America has made mistakes before, but thank god America is a democratic country and they can correct their policies.

SPIEGEL: You are one of the very few Arab heads of state who, without a peace treaty in place, has hosted high-ranking Israeli politicians. Did you end this relationship following the war in Gaza?

Hamad: No, we didn't cut relations. We tried to get Egypt and Jordan to do that so that they could put more pressure on Israel. I am sure that if Egypt and Jordan had moved from the beginning that Israel would not have continued in Gaza. Now there will be a generation remembering forever what happened there. How can you make peace now?

SPIEGEL: Will you invite Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Qatar?

Hamad: The Israelis can continue to come and go -- we harbor no animus. We just state our opinion. And we want peace.

SPIEGEL: Do you still believe in the two-state solution?

Hamad: For sure. And this is what we tell all Palestinians we talk to -- including Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal. Everything depends on Mashaal now. People say that Hamas does not recognize Israel now. But I am sure that if Hamas were offered the borders of 1967, they would have no alternative. Then other Arabs would recognize Israel -- and the Palestinians would be busy building their state.

SPIEGEL: Do you still believe in the Arab peace plan of 2002?

Hamad: I think Israel will not accept the return of the Palestinian refugees. But on the issue of dividing the city of Jerusalem (and turning over East Jerusalem to the Palestinians), I think they should accept it.

SPIEGEL: The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant against Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir. Why are you opposed to this?

Hamad: If anything happened to Omar al-Bashir und Sudan ended up in chaos, the whole of Africa would also sink into chaos. Sudan is a vast land with a lot of borders. Al-Qaida would be happy to see Sudan become like Iraq.

SPIEGEL: Isn't it time for the Arab world to finally do something about the Darfur problem?

Hamad: We have been mediating in Sudan for a long time, particularly because the groups in Darfur do not want the Arab League to get involved. My hope is that we do not see interference from some other Arab countries. We are confident. We need to give the parties time -- we have to let them shout and issue their grievances, and finally we need to get the process of negotiations going and discuss the future of their country.

SPIEGEL: Al-Bashir is now in Doha to attend the Arab summit.

Hamad: I sent my prime minister to invite him.

SPIEGEL: Will Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad also attend as he did at the Gulf Cooperation Council summit 2007?

Hamad: I don't think so this time, because some Arab countries do not want this. They are not realizing that America is talking to Ahmadinejad. They took their action because America was against Iran. But they do not realize that a big change is happening in the US. It will take some time, but they will run to Teheran. I know this very well.

SPIEGEL: You are hosting two summits this week -- one with the leaders from the Arab World and another with those from Latin America. What will you discuss with them?

Hamad: We in the Middle East like to talk politics, we like to argue. Just look at the three prophets -- Moses, Jesus and Mohammad. They are all from this small region which creates problems all the time. So I think we will talk politics. But of course in the Arab countries this is leaders' politics, since there are no elections that any leader will be tied to. Finding a link to Latin America will be an economic issue. The apples that come from Chile are always very well kept and of the best quality compared to fruit coming from Egypt or Yemen. That's just one example I like to cite when it comes to our shortcomings as Arabs. We need Latin America.

SPIEGEL: Will Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez come?

Hamad: Yes, my friend Hugo Chavez is coming.

SPIEGEL: Your Highness, we thank you for this interview.

Interview conducted by Volkhard Windfuhr and Bernhard Zand.