Qatari FM says the world should urge all regional players to sit at negotiation table
Qatar’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, acknowledging there were divisions in the Middle East, apologised for the recent ineffectiveness of the GCC as an institution.
He was speaking during a session of the World Economic Forum in Davos.
“We’re sorry that the GCC has become an ineffective organisation in the recent past. It used to be an example of cohesion and hope for the Arab world,” he was quoted as saying by The Peninsula.
“We acknowledge the existence of division in the Middle East and the existence of differences, but these differences will never be resolved in the battlefields,” he said. Eventually, all will come to the negotiating table, he said.
“We’re living in an era in which we need to live side by side with respect for the sovereignty of countries,” he said, stressing that there is no compromise when it comes to sovereignty, and underlining Qatar’s continued call for dialogue to resolve the crisis.
He added that the various powers are trying to get maximum influence to come to the negotiating table in a better position, pointing out that it is the people that pay the price, according to Gulf Times.
He expressed his belief that the world should urge all players in the region to sit at the negotiating table to address their concerns, noting that the region had many potentials to put them on right track.
Regarding relations with Egypt and whether there is hope to improve them, he said, “We always hope to bridge the gap between Qatar and Egypt, and we believe that the differences we have with Egypt aren’t immaterial. We care about Egypt’s stability and those who claim that Qatar is trying to play a destabilising role are making false accusations.”
“If we look at the issue from an Arab perspective, Egypt’s stability is very important to the region. If we look at it from an economic aspect, we’ve investments in Egypt and it’s our priority to ensure that our investments are in an appropriate environment,” he said.
“Nothing makes Qatar a destabilising factor in Egypt, and anyone trying to build on these differences is trying to create a certain view of Qatar. There has been no response from the Egyptian side to sit down and bring the views closer.”
