Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan yesterday started a Gulf tour as part of diplomatic efforts to resolve the current Gulf crisis between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain on the one hand and the State of Qatar on the other.
President Erdogan arrives in Qatar today after his trip to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait - which plays the role of mediator in the crisis.
By the virtue of its distinguished position among the Islamic countries and its weight in the international arena as well as its good relations with all Gulf countries, Turkey is qualified to play an effective role within the framework of the ongoing efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis and put it on the road leading to a settlement.
Doha, which welcomes the Turkish president, reiterates its readiness to engage in dialogue and to listen to all sincere views and efforts aimed at resolving the crisis, as affirmed by His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani in his speech on Friday evening in which he stressed “We are open to dialogue to find solutions to lingering problems, not only for the interest of our states and peoples, but also to spare the efforts that are being wasted in vain by countries moved by malicious scheming against their brothers in the international arena, so that these efforts may be invested in serving the causes of the Ummah.”
The Emir also said that any solution to the crisis must be based on two principles: first, the solution should be within the framework of respect for the sovereignty and will of each state. Secondly, it should not be in a form of orders by one party against another, but rather as mutual undertakings and joint commitments binding on all, adding “We are ready for dialogue and for reaching settlements on all contentious issues in this context.”
His Highness stressed on bitterness caused by this crisis and said that any solution to this crisis in future must include arrangements to ensure that this retaliatory approach in dealing with innocent citizens will not be repeated when there is a political dispute between governments.
His Highness the Emir highly valued the mediation efforts undertaken by the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, which Qatar has supported from the outset, expressing hope that his sincere efforts will be culminated in success.
He also appreciate the US support for this mediation, as well as the constructive positions of Germany, France, UK, Europe in general and Russia.
Ahead of Erdogan’s Gulf tour, there were a number of statements and messages made by a number of senior Turkish officials.
Two days before the start of his tour, the Turkish president promised that his country will do its utmost to resolve the Gulf crisis. In a speech in Ankara, Erdogan said that Turkey will continue its sincere endeavours so as not to turn the problems between brothers to permanent issues causing irreparable damage.
Dr Ammarullah Ashler, chairman of the Intelligence Committee of the Turkish Parliament, also stressed that President Erdogan’s visit to the region is exceptional and historic and aims to solve the Gulf crisis through dialogue and diplomatic means.
In an interview with Qatari newspaper Al-Sharq yesterday, he said that the visit comes after calm prevailed in the region after Qatar received clear support from all European countries and because its rational and balanced policy, stressing that the visit is the result of intensive contacts between President Erdogan and the leaders of the region and the world to resolve the crisis as soon as possible.
The Turkish official expressed his belief that the visit will be a starting point in resolving and calming the crisis and will contribute significantly to ending the tension, but the solution may be during or after the visit.
A number of Turkish officials also agreed that the measures taken by the siege countries against the State of Qatar are not fair, Qatar is a sovereign state and Turkey rejects and does not accept imposing dictates on the country.
The Turkish officials called on Saudi Arabia and the three Arab countries imposing the siege on Qatar to drop the 13 demands, stressing that the demands violated Qatar’s sovereignty.
They also warned of the consequences of this crisis that hits the GCC countries, adding that conflicts generate conflicts and the result is unpredictable.
The Turkish officials also stressed that the Gulf crisis is not unsolvable and that during his trip, President Erdogan will hear the positions of the parties of the crisis and will help to resolve it, expressing their strong rejection of the siege countries’ demands to close Turkey’s military base in Qatar.
President Erdogan’s efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis come in the wake of a series of Arab and international mediation efforts during the last weeks following the crisis led by the mediation efforts of the Kuwait Emir as well as the efforts of foreign ministers of Germany, the United Kingdom, France and the United States who visited the Gulf region and held a series of meetings and contacts with senior officials.
These countries showed a full support for the Kuwaiti mediation and a support for the Qatari position that rejects the list of the 13 demands, calling on the siege countries to lift the siege imposed on the State of Qatar and stressing on the importance of dialogue to resolve all issues.
It is worth mentioning that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s Gulf tour, which included Doha, culminated in the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Qatar to combat financing of terrorism affirms Qatar’s innocence of all charges, fabrications and false allegations in supporting terrorism.
The US State Department expressed hope that the memorandum of understanding will help ending the siege imposed on Qatar led by Saudi Arabia, explaining that the negotiations on the agreement on Combating the Financing of Terrorism began when US President Donald Trump visited Riyadh last May.
The US Secretary of State said that Qatar, which has been accused of financing terrorism, is now the first country to sign with the United States such an agreement aimed at combating the financing of terrorism, stressing that his country is satisfied with Doha’s strong efforts to implement the agreement to combat the financing of terrorism.
Tillerson urged Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt to lift the siege on Doha.
During his meeting in Washington with Oman’s Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi Abdullah, the US Secretary of State affirmed that the Qataris expressed their willingness to negotiate with the four countries on the basis of respect for the dignity and sovereignty of all.
Tillerson expressed hope that the four countries in a move of goodwill will lift the land siege imposed on Qatar.
Qatar’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations HE ambassador Sheikha Alia Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani noted the great support that Qatar received from other countries and international human rights organisations which reflects the strong position of Qatar that does not accept any dictates or conditions.
She said that the unilateral measures against Qatar are an illegal siege and violates the UN Charter, calling for the abolition of these measures first before starting a serious dialogue to resolve the Gulf crisis.
Sheikha Alia added that the legal ground is laid for the Qatari diplomacy to bring the entire issue to the United Nations if needed.
The Turkish president’s visit to Doha comes at a time when Qatar is based on its positions towards the siege on a solid popular base and rallying around the wise leadership.
Qatar’s positions are also based on international support that rejects the demands and dictates of the siege countries and supports dialogue and the principle of equality in obligations and duties and the respect for the sovereignty of all states without discrimination.
Since the beginning of the Gulf crisis, Turkey has played the role of mediator to resolve it through intensive diplomatic contacts conducted by President Erdogan with more than 16 countries in which he stressed the need to resolve the crisis by sitting at the negotiating table.