Recent official statements indicate that Qatar is about to start development of Phase II, for domestic consumption. All these industries use gas for fuel. Although the United States is a major equipment supplier for Qatar's oil and gas industry, and US companies are playing a major role in North Field gas development, to date there has been little American investment in Qatar. Growing numbers of foreign-educated Qataris, including many educated in the United States, are returning to Qatar to assume key positions formerly occupied by expatriates. In order to control the influx of expatriate workers, Qatar, over the past few years, has tightened the administration of its foreign manpower programs.
Security is a principal basis for Qatar's strict entry and immigration rules and regulations.
Most Arab states, the United Kingdom, and the United States were among the first countries to recognize Qatar, and the state promptly gained admittance to the United Nations and the Arab League. Qatar established diplomatic relations with the USSR and China in 1988. It was an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Qatar and Bahrain dispute ownership of the Hawar Islands. In October 1991, the two countries agreed to let the International Court of Justice at The Hague decide whether it would accept jurisdiction over the case.