Al-Ula Declaration was a victory for GCC: FM

Tribune News NetworkDoha

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has said that the Al-Ula Declaration was a victory for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

“We consider what happened is reconciliation. Saudi Arabia represented all parties, and everyone participated, and everyone signed the Al-Ula Declaration,” Sheikh Mohammed told Al Jazeera.

The FM said there is no doubt that the process will take its time, but it is easier between the people than the political aspects.

He said the issue of Al-Jazeera was not raised [at the summit]. “It is an institution that we are proud of. We are also proud of its media professionals and its presence in Qatar,” Sheikh Mohammed said.“We guarantee freedom of expression, and the issue of Al-Jazeera must be dealt with positively and constructively,” he added.He said the crisis was an exceptional situation for the past years and the solution was a victory for the Gulf Cooperation Council. 

The FM said it was agreed not to publish statement, but it contained basic principles that were clarified.

"The specific rules for the statement of Al-Ula are general rules and key principles and their publication or not has not been discussed. I do not know the extent of the interest of other countries in publishing the final statement of the summit, and there is no embarrassment in it for any country," he added.

He said the basics of the Al-Ula Declaration are not to prejudice any state, interfere in its affairs, or threaten the security of the region.

“The circumstances of the 2017 crisis are different from the 2014 crisis, the rift is different, and therefore the understandings are different,” he said.

 “We found a will from the parties to solve the crisis, and it was through authorising Saudi Arabia to represent the rest of the countries. We cannot say that this is a success for Qatar, Saudi Arabia, or any other country, but rather a success for everyone,” the FM added.

“The problems between Qatar and the states parties are different in nature, and therefore they are dealt with differently. We are not going to have conditions from one state to another,” he said.

He said, “Problems between Qatar and the other parties are different so dealing with that to be different, as well.”

The FM said the GCC countries have different visions for dealing with Iran and we want solutions to de-escalate the escalation.

The FM said, “We are observing escalation between America and Iran, and our message to both the sides is that we do not want escalation or military action.”