Qatar calls diplomatic crisis as ‘unjust siege’, urges Arab quartet to end ongoing diplomatic crisis

New York, April 27: Just in a week’s time, Qatar for the second time has called on Arab quartet including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt to end the ongoing diplomatic crisis calling it ‘unjust siege’. Notably, the Arab quartet in June last year have cut the diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed stringent economic sanctions on it over supporting extremism or terrorism.

 

Qatar’s ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif Al-Thani at the official meeting of the UN Security Council on "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian question" urged Arab quartet for an immediate lifting of the unjust siege, which will be soon entering in its second year, reiterating that the siege and arbitrary unilateral measures imposed on the country without any legal or realistic justification, aims at achieving special objectives that run counter to the provisions of international law.

Sheikha Alia further stated that in light of the international environment, which is fraught with growing tensions and challenges resulting from the continuation of conflicts and terrorism, the worrying slowdown in crisis resolution, and the challenges facing the Middle East region must impose cooperation and response from all to confront them. The continuation of the fabricated crisis against Qatar has serious consequences for the security and stability of the region.

The Ambassador stressed the importance of dialogue in resolving differences and tensions in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, pointing out that this is what Qatar has been demanding since the beginning of the crisis, based on its responsibility as a member of the United Nations and a key partner of the international community in addressing common challenges.

In the end, the Qatari Ambassador reiterated Qatar's commitment to the mediation of HH Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, the Emir of Kuwait, and its appreciation to the countries that supported this mediation in order to resolve this crisis.

Earlier, in the week, the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar Dr Ahmed bin Hassan Al Hammadi urged Arab quartet to resolve the ongoing diplomatic crisis in the region. The Qatari official said that stability, civil peace, and social security are the main pillars that provide the environment for development and progress in its tracks, and without these pillars, it will be impossible to achieve and establish the goals of development.

“Therefore, Qatar urgently calls for constructive dialogue among the various social and political forces to resolve the crises in the region and the wars taking place in order to find the appropriate ground for progress in achieving development, which is a decisive factor in achieving stability and civil peace,” he added.

The statement from Doha comes after the economic and financial impact on Qatar put by Arab quartet’s blockade is fading slowly. In the month of June last year, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and several other nations cut ties with Qatar and imposed stringent economic sanctions on it over supporting extremism.

On the other side, Qatar denied all their allegations saying that they never supported Islamist militants and Shi'ite Iran. Later, Saudi and its allies issued a 13-point list of demands to end the rift on June 22 and gave Qatar 10 days to comply. However, earlier Qatar rejected to fulfill the demands.