TRUMP BACKS ACTION ON QATAR

US prez calls it beginning of the end of terrorism; UAE seeks guaranteed roadmap for mending ties

TOUGH STANCE

riyadh — US President Donald Trump threw his weight behind efforts to isolate Qatar on Tuesday, backing Saudi Arabia and its allies after they cut ties with Doha over claims it supports extremism.

In a surprise move against a key US ally, Trump suggested Qatar — home to the largest American airbase in the Middle East — was funding extremism as he tacitly backed the diplomatic blockade of Qatar.

“So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off,” Trump said in a morning tweet, in reference to his trip to Riyadh last month.

“They said they would take a hard line on funding... extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!”

During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar — look! Donald Trump Qatar believed that obstinacy and high media din will gloss over the crisis, without realising the solution lies in changing the behaviour that hurts Anwar Gargash

“During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar — look!” he wrote.

Trump’s broadside came as the Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, headed to Saudi Arabia in a bid to resolve the feud, the worst diplomatic crisis to hit the Arab world in years.

Saudi Arabia and allies, including Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain, announced on Monday they were severing diplomatic relations and closing air, sea and land links with Qatar.

Kuwait did not join fellow Gulf countries in taking measures against Doha, and Sheikh Sabah departed on Tuesday for Saudi Arabia for talks to resolve the crisis.

In a call with Sheikh Sabah on Monday, the Amir of Qatar, His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, agreed to put off a speech to the nation in order to give mediation a chance.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani also signalled that Qatar was open to talks, calling for “a dialogue of openness and honesty” to resolve the crisis. — AFP, Wam