UAE FM on Qatar: ‘Clearly there is a lack of trust’
Doha needs to understand that it is on its own, Anwar Gargash tells John Defterios
wall. As a result, this is an action we have to take because Qatar is a partner with us in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and we need to work together. A: I think two things. The first thing is to make clear that various countries — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE, Egypt and other countries — are fed up with this sort of duplicity that we have seen, that has been undermining the region. And to send a strong message that it is time for cooler heads to restructure Qatar’s approach on foreign policy. That is one message. The other message is: If we do not see that change, then Qatar needs to understand that it is on its own... We cannot accept that we have a partner sitting with us around the same table that is undermining our stability and undermining security in the region. A: I think we are all better off if wiser and cooler heads basically direct Qatar’s approach of managing the current crisis… (so) we can restructure and change Qatar’s policy not to undermine us, not to hurt us. The issue is not about an independent foreign policy. The GCC has always had various member partners with their independent foreign policies. It is an issue of foreign policy that is working to undermine the security and stability of the region and some of these partners. This is of course not acceptable. A: We had an agreement in 2014, on paper, signed by the emir of Qatar, pledging that he will abide by various grievances that were put in the agreement. They have not held to that agreement, so clearly there is a lack of trust, so a new mediation will be much more difficult. It will need a sincere approach from Qatar that will assure us all that Qatar is intent on changing its approach and being more in line with the stability and security of the region. If that is the approach, then of course we need to build a road map. I would say in view of what happened in 2014 it is a difficult sell, but we have to wait and see what happens. A: The Riyadh Declaration and Riyadh conference were extremely successful in addressing the issue of extremism and terrorism in black and white. Basically, the Qatari position undermines the sort of consensus that was shaped in Riyadh. The current GCC response toward Qatar is an accumulation of more than a decade of very difficult choices, undermining policies, support for extremism... I think that is the problem. A: I cannot comment on what happened in a bilateral meeting. I have read the press reports you have. I would say again that the issue of extremism and terrorism is at the heart of the current rift which the GCC faces with Qatar… We need to make sure there is a clear difference between running an independent foreign policy and running an undermining foreign policy. This is something we have to be very cognizant of. A: I hope so. The GCC is a very successful regional group. A: The numbers speak louder, with the economic numbers of people moving, investment, etc. It is not ideal, but I think the GCC is a successful group that has brought a lot of benefits to the region. But the question I think is a little bit premature. It will all depend on how Qatar wants to address the issue. Does it want to deny that there is a problem, and try to deal with it with its various media outlets and try to divert the issue? Does it want to address the issue head-on and say past policies have been a problem? The emir of Qatar in 2014 clearly said: “Whatever happens before I became emir, I am not responsible for. I am responsible for the record of Qatar after I have assumed the emirateship of Qatar.” We need a change because it is undermining regional security and undermining our attempts at countering the extremist and terrorist narrative. A: I think that Iran wants to use any vacuum to try and push in. The emir of Qatar has not been perhaps as vocal in his position on Iran, because of the major economic interests they have in gas fields, etc. But I think Iran is watching this situation, and is trying to see whether it can actually play on the situation and see if there is any vacuum currently. A: The best solution is for cooler heads to take charge in Doha… At the same time, it is important to get what I would call rationality, because the Qatari people are similar to all the GCC people in their social and economic backgrounds, what they aspire for and so forth. So I am hoping this is something we can actually deal with, but it will really require Doha to change the way it has been behaving, regionally and with its neighbors. A: No, I think there are commitments. These are all commercial commitments with proper legal frameworks. I do not think we will see that sort of retaliation. And it will not be wise.