French FM to visit Gulf states to discuss Arab-Qatari rift

CAIRO - 13 July 2017: France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian will pay a visit to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Qatar July 14-16 to discuss the ongoing Arab-Qatari rift, according to a statement by the French Foreign Ministry on Wednesday.

The three-day visit shall focus on easing strained diplomatic relations among France’s “partners and leaders of the Arab Gulf states” and to affirm France’s concern to hear the different views and offer “contribution to the mediation effort” led by Kuwait, the statement said.

Le Drian’s visit shall kick off on Friday, following a similar meeting held in Kuwait a few days ago, as German, American, British and EU foreign ministers asserted the need for a diplomatic solution to the current intra-Gulf crisis.

“Le Drian will reaffirm France's priority of strengthening the fight against terrorism and, in particular, improving ways to combat its financing and the propagation of terrorist ideas and projects,” the statement manifested.

According to the statement, Le Drian will remind his interlocutors during his visit to the Gulf that all measures that help strengthen the tools to combat terrorism and UN-recognized terrorist groups, particularly in the area of financing, are positive.

Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties with Qatar starting June 5 on charges of supporting and funding terrorist groups such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, which is designated as a terrorist group by Egypt and many other Arab countries.

Arab quartet countries submitted a 13-demand list to Qatar via the Kuwaiti mediator that includes ending its funding of extremists and terrorist groups, stopping media aggressive campaigns via Al Jazeera, which should be closed immediately, and other reasonable demands that shall guarantee drying up all resources granted to terrorism in the region.