Qatar denounces ‘unjustified’ cut of Gulf ties

DOHA: Qatar on Monday slammed the decisions of three Gulf states to sever ties with it, saying they were “unjustified” and aimed to put Doha under political “guardianship.”

“The measures are unjustified and are based on false and baseless claims,” the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement, referring to the unprecedented steps taken by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt.

“The aim is clear, and it is to impose guardianship on the state. This by itself is a violation of its (Qatar’s) sovereignty as a state,” it added.

The host of the football World Cup 2022 said it has been subjected to an “incitement campaign based on fabrications, which reflects an intention to harm Qatar.”

Doha insisted the sanctions, which include the Gulf states severing air, land and sea links with Qatar, “will not affect the daily life of citizens and residents.”

“The Qatari government will take all measures necessary... to foil attempts to affect or harm Qatar’s society and economy,” the statement said.

The Kremlin said it is in Russia’s interest to have a “stable and peaceful” situation in the Gulf. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a conference call with reporters that Moscow also hopes the diplomatic row will not affect “the common determination and resolve” in the joint fight against “international terrorism.”

Pakistan has no immediate plans to cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, a spokesman for the South Asian nation’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday. The country “has no such plans,” the spokesman, Nafees Zakaria, said. “At the moment there is nothing on Qatar issue, (we) will issue a statement if some develop- ment takes place,” Zakaria said.

Libya’s eastern-based government has followed regional allies in cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar, its Foreign Minister, Mohammed Dayri, said. Dayri gave no immediate explanation for the Libyan move.

India will not be impacted by the diplomatic rift, said Foreign Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.

“There is no challenge arising out of this for us. This is an internal matter of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council). Our only concern is about Indians there. We are trying to find out if any Indians are stuck there,” she told reporters.

Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that Arab states’ decision to cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of backing extremism, could herald a broad anti-terror alliance including Israel.

Israel has long faced resistance to its efforts to improve ties with Arab nations in the region because of its 50-year occupation of Palestinian territory.