‘Malaysia ready to help address Qatar crisis if required’

MALAYSIA does not rule out the possibility to help solve the Qatar crisis involving several Gulf countries, if required, said Special Functions Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein.

However, at present, Hishammuddin, who is also Defence Minister, said the opportunity should be given first to Kuwait as an intermediary in addressing the crisis.

He said this was also the stand of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), comprising of 57 Muslim countries.

“We closely monitor and, if necessary, our existing ties with the Gulf nations concerned can help and place Malaysia in a position that is not only strategic but can play a more indepth role (in helping to address the crisis), he told the Dewan Rakyat sitting here yesterday.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Datuk Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid ( BN- Kota Tinggi), who wanted to know if Malaysia was ready if asked to become an intermediary.

The crisis started when Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia-led Bahrain cut off the sea, land and air links with Qatar last month, in which the countries concerned claimed Qatar supported terrorism, interfered with internal affairs of other countries and sought to seek establish good relations with Iran, which is the foe of Saudi Arabia. — Bernama