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Qatar Emir 'Set to Transfer Power to Son'
[An Nahar] The emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, is preparing to hand control of the gas-rich Gulf state to his son, Qatari diplomats and officials said.
Without dying first? Impressive.
A cabinet reshuffle is also expected in which powerful Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani may lose his post, or at least the foreign affairs portfolio, the sources said.

A Qatari official told Agence La Belle France Presse on condition of anonymity that the emir "is convinced that he should encourage the new generation" of politicians and rulers.

"He hopes to transfer power to the crown prince, Sheikh Tamim (bin Hamad al-Thani), and to carry out a ministerial reshuffle" and appoint younger ministers, the minister said.

Sheikh Tamim, born in 1980, is the second son of the emir and his second wife Sheikha Mozah.

The crown prince is joint commander of the armed forces and head of the country's Olympic committee.

Political sources said that the premier, a cousin of the emir, could lose the foreign affairs portfolio he has held since 1992, and maybe even the premiership which he has held since 2007, in a reshuffle.

A French diplomatic source told AFP that the emir could "take a step back, that is, not completely retire but take on a more honorary position, in such a way that his son could take on more responsibilities and become the man in charge".

Posted by: Fred 2013-06-16
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=370334