FRANCE THROWS ITS WEIGHT BEHIND MEDIATION EFFORTS
Officials hold talks in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Jeddah in push to help bring about end to Qatar crisis
Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, yesterday met the French foreign minister who is touring the Gulf seeking a solution to the Qatar crisis.
France is looking to throw its weight behind Kuwait-led mediation between Qatar and the four Arab nations boycotting it, Jean-Yves Le Drian said before meeting Sheikh Mohammed, also Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
The two discussed regional and international issues, along with enhancing cooperation when they met at Al Shati Palace.
Earlier Mr Le Drian met Sheikh Sabah, emir of Kuwait and chief mediator in the crisis, after talks with officials in Doha and Jeddah in an effort to heal the rift between Gulf countries.
The crisis, now in its second month, exploded into the open when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar over its support for extremists and terrorism.
The foreign ministers of Germany and the UK, along with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson, have visited the Gulf in recent weeks to try to resolve the dispute.
Mr Le Drian on Saturday met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir, in Jeddah.
Mr Al Jubeir said Saudi Ara- bia would give Mr Le Drian “comprehensive dossiers of the negative acts committed by Qatar over years”, adding that a similar file was given to Mr Tillerson.
“There are basic principles that must be committed to by all countries, including Qatar,” Mr Al Jubeir said.
“The first is not supporting terrorism and the financing of terrorism.
“The second is to refrain from supporting extremism and inciting and spreading hatred.”
Mr Al Jubeir said that Riyadh hoped the crisis could still be solved “within the Gulf house”.
Mr Le Drian agreed that “solving this crisis should be done by the Gulf countries”, reiterating Paris’s support for Kuwaiti mediation.
“We look for everyone’s determined commitment against terrorism, its support and financing,” he said.
“In this perspective, it is important that GCC countries should be united, to remain a rampart against instability.”
Earlier, Mr Le Drian called for “dialogue and calm” between the Arab states involved in the crisis after a meeting in Doha with Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim, and foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman.
“France is very concerned by the sudden deterioration in relations between Qatar and
We look for everyone’s determined commitment against terrorism, its support and financing. It is important GCC countries should be united
many of its neighbours,” Mr Le Drian said in Doha on Saturday. “France is talking to all these countries to help in the search for a solution.”
Qatar’s foreign minister welcomed France’s support for mediation aimed at finding a solution “based on constructive dialogue and respect of state sovereignty and international law”.
Mr Le Drian said France counted on “reinforcing co-operation with Qatar in the fight against terrorism, particularly in combating terrorism financing”.
He arrived in the region on Saturday, two days after Mr Tillerson ended a four-day mediation mission with no announcement of progress towards defusing the bitter dispute.
Mr Tillerson held long meetings with officials of the four boycotting nations – Mr Al Jubeir, the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash, Bahraini foreign minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed, and Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry – and the Kuwaiti minister of state for cabinet affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Mubarak.
On June 5, the four countries cut diplomatic, trade and travel ties with Doha, denying Qatar access to their airspace, and ordered Qatari citizens to leave.
Last week, hours before Mr Tillerson’s arrival in Kuwait, documents were leaked showing a confidential GCC agreement that the boycotting nations accuse Qatar of breaching.
The Riyadh Agreement, signed in November 2013 with a follow-up pact a year later, committed the bloc’s members to cutting off funding to extremists and to non-interference in each others’ domestic affairs.
Sheikh Sabah said that despite the bitter feelings on both sides, he remained hopeful there could a repair to “our Gulf home”.
The quartet said relations with Qatar would be restored only if it met the 13 demands presented to Doha on June 22. Qatar has rejected the demands, saying they undermine its sovereignty.
The foreign ministers of the boycotting countries plan to meet in Manama to decide on their next steps.
Foreign ministers of the four boycotting countries to meet in Manama to decide their next steps