Gulf nations may let some Qataris stay
DOHA, Qatar — Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates signaled on Sunday they may allow some Qataris to stay in their countries amid a diplomatic rift with the Gulf nation.
Qatar meanwhile pledged those nations’ citizens will have “complete freedom” to stay in the energy-rich country
he three Gulf nations cut ties to Qatar on June 5 over its alleged support of militants and ties to Iran and ordered all Qataris out within 14 days, while calling their own citizens back. That’s created chaos across the Sunni Gulf nations, whose citizens regularly intermarry and conduct business across countries sharing long historic and cultural bonds.
Early on Sunday, the three countries all issued state- ments urging mixed nationality families to call their respective interior ministries, which would take into consideration the “humanitarian circumstances” of their situation.
For its part, Qatar issued an overnight statement saying residents living in the country from nations that severed ties would. have “complete freedom” to stay despite the “hostile and tendentious campaigns” now targeting it.
“The State of Qatar, in accordance to its firm beliefs and principles, works on avoiding political conflicts with states and governments when dealing with their people,” the ministry said. “Those residents have the complete freedom in staying in the State of Qatar in accordance with the laws and regulations adopted by the state.”
The diplomatic crisis, the worst since the 1990 invasion of Kuwait by Iraq and the subsequent Gulf War, has seen Arab nations and others cut ties to Qatar, which hosts a major US military base and will be the host of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Doha is a major international travel hub, but flagship carrier Qatar Airways now flies increasingly over Iran and Turkey after being blocked elsewhere in the Middle East.
Kuwait’s emir has shuttled between countries trying to mediate an end to the crisis. On Sunday, Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khaled Al Sabah said in a statement that Qatar is “willing to hold a dialogue” to end the crisis and that unity among Gulf nations remains “paramount.” So far, the nations involved have yet to hold tions.
US President Donald Trump has offered strong criticism of Qatar as Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called for “no further escalation” in the crisis.
The government of Qatar has hired John Ashcroft, the US attorney general during the Sept 11 attacks, as it seeks to rebut accusations that it supports terrorism.
Qatar will pay the Ashcroft Law Firm $2.5 million for a 90-day period as the country seeks to confirm its efforts to fight global terrorism and comply with financial regulations including US Treasury rules, according to a Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, filing on Friday with the Justice Department. face-to-face negotia-