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Tribune News Network
Munich
Qatar has called on the blockading countries for a dialogue stating that Doha has no objection to responding to any good efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani has said.
“Qatar has not built any new alliance that will be an alternative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),” Sheikh Mohammed said during 55th session of the Munich Security Conference on Sunday.
The FM warned against deepening divisions in the Middle East. “We see an increase in the regional polarisation and that is growing day by day,” he said.
There are proxy wars in many countries, indicating that there are no international efforts to address polarisation in the region, such as in Yemen, Syria and Palestine, he added He said the region’s security has been threatened because of the blockade of Qatar.
“We in the region have developed a brilliant model called Gulf Cooperation Council — and that was a cornerstone of stability in the region, despite the differences of opinion with our neighbours Saudi and the UAE. But now the regional security is under threat as there is no dialogue,” he said.
The GCC had gone through periods of disagreements and differences over the last few years but they had not reached such a level.
“We have been separated from each other and this stems from a change in the attitudes of new leaders.”
Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar has no objection to any good efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis.
In response to a question about new alliances with Turkey and Iran, the FM said, “We are not building any new alliances that will be a substitute for the GCC. Iran is our neighbour and we have been sharing the largest gas field with them for decades. We have common borders but the crisis has made us need more airspace and more foreign trade with Iran. We appreciate their decision to opening their airspace for us.”
“The relationship between Qatar and Turkey is very strong and we have formed many alliances far beyond the crisis of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Qatar is not under any pressure to make alliances with one country or another. Our decisions are based on the need to serve the interests of the people of Qatar,” he added.
The FM said, “There is some effort by the US to create a strategic alliance for the Middle East, and our position is clear about that. We can not create a pact among four countries hostile to a fifth country. Before we address this problem, we have to face the big problem alliance with our people, they will ask us how to be allies with countries that have besieged us for 20 months.”
He added, “The idea of the alliance is fine as long as it does not violate international law, a defensive alliance built on each other’s capabilities and built on the basis of cooperation, but we have to deal with the core of the problem before moving to the next level. We continue our meetings and participate constructively to form this alliance, but we have to address the actual problem first.”
“The US is trying to resolve the Gulf crisis through good offices, and President Trump has tried to send letters to the leaders of the blockading countries. There is no settlement yet,” he said, adding that the relationship between “Qatar and the US was not affected and we continue to enjoy a strengthened alliance.”
Sheikh Mohammed stressed that the current situation will not prevent Qatar from helping the brothers in Palestine or providing assistance to the Syrian people, because this is in line with the principles and values of Qatar.
He said the Palestinian-Israeli conflict must be resolved in a just manner that comes with the rights of the Palestinians, pointing out that the Palestinian issue is the essence of the relationship between any Arab country and Israel, stressing that the restoration of Palestinian rights is the only way to live peacefully.
On Oslo, he said: “It is impossible to hold a dialogue on an issue without including everyone. For example, if there is a problem with Iran, Tehran should be invited to the table. This has not what happened in Oslo.”
“Qatar has a relationship with the Palestinian people, and there is a legitimate government, the Palestinian Authority. And Qatar continues to support them,” he said.
On Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup, the FM said Qatar has accomplished many things with regard to labour reform. “No other country in the region has made progress as we have achieved. We are always open for dialogue with international and human rights organizations. We welcome all international organizations to see the situation closely,” he added.Says the region has become more polarised
Munich
Qatar has called on the blockading countries for a dialogue stating that Doha has no objection to responding to any good efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani has said.
“Qatar has not built any new alliance that will be an alternative to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC),” Sheikh Mohammed said during 55th session of the Munich Security Conference on Sunday.
The FM warned against deepening divisions in the Middle East. “We see an increase in the regional polarisation and that is growing day by day,” he said.
There are proxy wars in many countries, indicating that there are no international efforts to address polarisation in the region, such as in Yemen, Syria and Palestine, he added He said the region’s security has been threatened because of the blockade of Qatar.
“We in the region have developed a brilliant model called Gulf Cooperation Council — and that was a cornerstone of stability in the region, despite the differences of opinion with our neighbours Saudi and the UAE. But now the regional security is under threat as there is no dialogue,” he said.
The GCC had gone through periods of disagreements and differences over the last few years but they had not reached such a level.
“We have been separated from each other and this stems from a change in the attitudes of new leaders.”
Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar has no objection to any good efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis.
In response to a question about new alliances with Turkey and Iran, the FM said, “We are not building any new alliances that will be a substitute for the GCC. Iran is our neighbour and we have been sharing the largest gas field with them for decades. We have common borders but the crisis has made us need more airspace and more foreign trade with Iran. We appreciate their decision to opening their airspace for us.”
“The relationship between Qatar and Turkey is very strong and we have formed many alliances far beyond the crisis of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Qatar is not under any pressure to make alliances with one country or another. Our decisions are based on the need to serve the interests of the people of Qatar,” he added.
The FM said, “There is some effort by the US to create a strategic alliance for the Middle East, and our position is clear about that. We can not create a pact among four countries hostile to a fifth country. Before we address this problem, we have to face the big problem alliance with our people, they will ask us how to be allies with countries that have besieged us for 20 months.”
He added, “The idea of the alliance is fine as long as it does not violate international law, a defensive alliance built on each other’s capabilities and built on the basis of cooperation, but we have to deal with the core of the problem before moving to the next level. We continue our meetings and participate constructively to form this alliance, but we have to address the actual problem first.”
“The US is trying to resolve the Gulf crisis through good offices, and President Trump has tried to send letters to the leaders of the blockading countries. There is no settlement yet,” he said, adding that the relationship between “Qatar and the US was not affected and we continue to enjoy a strengthened alliance.”
Sheikh Mohammed stressed that the current situation will not prevent Qatar from helping the brothers in Palestine or providing assistance to the Syrian people, because this is in line with the principles and values of Qatar.
He said the Palestinian-Israeli conflict must be resolved in a just manner that comes with the rights of the Palestinians, pointing out that the Palestinian issue is the essence of the relationship between any Arab country and Israel, stressing that the restoration of Palestinian rights is the only way to live peacefully.
On Oslo, he said: “It is impossible to hold a dialogue on an issue without including everyone. For example, if there is a problem with Iran, Tehran should be invited to the table. This has not what happened in Oslo.”
“Qatar has a relationship with the Palestinian people, and there is a legitimate government, the Palestinian Authority. And Qatar continues to support them,” he said.
On Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 World Cup, the FM said Qatar has accomplished many things with regard to labour reform. “No other country in the region has made progress as we have achieved. We are always open for dialogue with international and human rights organizations. We welcome all international organizations to see the situation closely,” he added.Says the region has become more polarised
