Qatari PM: Arab Quartet interferes in our internal affairs

CAIRO – 23 November 2017: Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al-Thani said on Wednesday that the Arab Quartet’s boycott is unacceptable because it affects Qatar’s internal affairs.

On Wednesday, Thani stated in Qatari TV program “Al-Haqiqa” (The Truth) that the Gulf Arab states interfere in Qatar’s internal affairs and that is unacceptable for the Qatari regime. Thani claims that his country is under a “siege” rather than a boycott.

A boycott means that a state or a group of states have withdrawn from diplomatic and economic relations with another state; whereas a blockade means that a country is completely besieged by sea, air and land therefore preventing people or goods from going in or out of it.

Thani has accused other Arab states of cutting ties with Qatar with the intention to damage its thriving economy. “In fact we have the same queries: Did the alleged dispute arise because of the successes the State of Qatar has achieved regionally and globally, our support for humanitarian issues and for the stability of the region, and our respect for the demands of the people? Or is it really because Qatar is hosting the World Cup? Or is it to interfere in our internal affairs?”

Yet he states that Qatar will focus on realizing its major projects, such as the 2022 World Cup. The prime minister expects that construction will be completed ahead of time. He also points out that the coming World Cup is not only for Qataris, but for all Arabs.

The sheikh believes a dialogue between the countries involved is the only path for resolving the current crisis. Qatar’s government is open for dialogue if state sovereignty and the principles of non-interference in internal affairs are restored.

“A solution of the crisis will come only from within the Gulf and we express our thanks to neighborly and brotherly countries for their attempts to resolve the crisis.” He also stressed that Qatar has not only played a crucial role in detecting terrorist cells in the Gulf States but also took a proactive step in fighting terrorism. Therefore, he does not understand the allegations made by Arab states against Qatar.

He further explained that there have been disputes and disagreements before in the Gulf Cooperation Council, but the current actions, such as planning conspiracies and making false allegations against Qatar, are unacceptable.

In early October, the Libyan National Army's spokesperson, Ahmed al-Mesmari, announced that Qatar is not only financially supporting IS terrorists but he also claims that Doha is involved in numerous crimes against Libyan nationals by transporting IS militants from Syria and Iraq through Sudan and then into Libya.

Christopher Davidson, a British researcher who teaches politics of the Middle East at Durham University in England, also stated that in 2012/13, Qatar was involved in the transport of weapons and fighters from Libya to Syria but in the present time is bringing them to Libya.

In March 2013, the UN published a report stating that in 2011 and 2012 Qatar violated the UN's arms embargo by “providing military material to the revolutionary forces through the organization of a large number of flights and the deliveries of a range of arms and ammunition."