Turkish FM: Ankara ‘not taking sides in Gulf dispute’
Cavusoglu holds talks in Kuwait, to visit Saudi Arabia on Friday
KUWAIT CITY: Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Thursday held talks in Kuwait to push mediation efforts aimed at resolving a standoff between a Saudi-led alliance and Qatar.
Cavusoglu discussed with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled Al-Sabah “regional and international developments,” the official KUNA news agency said.
Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah has launched the mediation efforts.
The Turkish chief diplomat held talks with Qatar’s emir and foreign minister on Wednesday and plans to visit Saudi Arabia.
Ahead of the talks in Kuwait, Cavusoglu told a press conference that he will travel to the holy city of Makkah on Friday for talks with King Salman.
“Although the Kingdom is a party in this crisis, we know that King Salman is a party in resolving it,” the Turkish minister said.
“We want to hear the views of Saudi Arabia regarding possible solutions and will share with them our views in a transparent way... We pay great attention to our relations with them,” he said.
Cavusoglu said Qatari officials believe they are not the cause of the current crisis and want to know the claims of the four countries.
“We are trying hard to prevent any escalation and find a quick solution to the crisis... Resolving the cri- sis is not through taking (boycott) decisions but through dialogue,” Cavusoglu said.
He said Turkey is not taking sides in the dispute, according to Arabic media reports.
“Turkey stands at the same distance from Qatar and Saudi Arabia,” Kuwait’s Arabic-language Al-Qabas newspaper quoted the minister as telling journalists in Kuwait.
Qatar-based Al Jazeera carried similar remarks. He said that sanctions imposed on Doha were not right, according to Al-Qabas.
Cavusoglu said he will travel to Saudi Arabia on Friday to discuss the crisis.
US President Donald Trump has expressed support for the allegations against Doha, which categorically denied them.
The crisis has put Turkey in a delicate position as Ankara regards Qatar as its chief ally in the Gulf but is also keen to maintain its improving relations with Saudi Arabia. Turkey is also eager to maintain workable relations with Iran.