Qatar defends free press in row with Morocco

DOHA (Reuters) -- The Qatari foreign minister has defended Doha's stand on press freedom despite a diplomatic row with Morocco over television programmes seen by Rabat as hostile to the monarchy.

Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr al-Thani also told the Doha-based al-Jazeera satellite television in an interview monitored on Saturday that Qatar was still keen to promote ties with Morocco and other Arab states.

"If its a question of press (freedom) ... today's world does not fear the press but views it as a helping hand in correcting mistakes if such mistakes existed," Sheikh Hamad said. "But this should not be a reason for tension in relations between states."

Morocco on Wednesday recalled its ambassador to Doha for consultations over "the various stands and attitudes adopted by the brotherly country of Qatar, both at the political and media level."

Moroccan media has cited Qatar's failure to support Rabat's bid to host the 2006 soccer World Cup. They also quoted Prime Minister Abderrahmane El Youssoufi as saying that Jazeera television "led a campaign against Morocco, against its democratic evolution, its institutions and image."

Youssoufi was apparently referring to debates broadcast by Jazeera that Morocco sees as hostile to the monarchy, including an interview with an exiled former army officer and a 1971 coup plotter against the late King Hassan.

Jazeera regularly broadcasts debates on controversial topics relating to various Arab countries. The debates have angered some Arab states which have responded by closing the station's offices or by recalling diplomats from Doha.

Qatar says the programmes broadcast by Jazeera television do not reflect the government's views.

"Qatar's policy is to come close to every friend and brother and thus we have no political or media intentions against Morocco," Sheikh Hamad said.

"We are trying to explain to our brothers that Qatari media is free and we have no control over it," he said.

"International television stations, newspapers and magazines are covering the Arab world much more than what we write about ourselves. Why be embarrassed when an Arab television station tackles our concerns?"

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