Qatar targeted for its progress: envoy

Ambassador opens Middle East Dialogue Centre in Brussels

Qatar’s ambassador to Belgium and Head of Qatari Missions to EU and Nato, Abdulrahman bin Mohamed al-Khulaifi, yesterday inaugurated the Middle East Dialogue Centre in Brussels where he addressed the first symposium under the title “State of Qatar – A Hundred Days Under Siege.”
The seminar was attended by Belgian ambassador to Syria Marc Ott and Dr Sebastian Boussoua, professor at a number of European universities and Institutes in addition to members of the “Young Professionals in Foreign Policy” and workers in the EU and Nato.
The ambassador explained Qatar’s position on the unjust siege, and the violations committed by the siege countries in terms of human rights and international convention.
He also explained Qatar’s position on the siege countries’ attempts to undermine the sovereignty of the nation and impose its guardianship on it, underlining their failure in providing evidence of the false accusations they made.
The ambassador said Qatar was targeted because of the overall development and successes the country has achieved in different economic, scientific and political spheres, placing it among the leading countries at both regional and international levels.
He explained that these successes were a result of the wisdom of Qatar’s leadership represented by His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
“Have the siege countries forgotten that we live in the 21st century, the time of media openness, communication revolution and social media,” the ambassador asked.
“Have they forgotten that nothing can be hidden, and that the Arab peoples have become aware of the facts and events happening around them.”
“Unfortunately, the siege countries have ignored these facts and dealt with this crisis from a Middle Ages perspective in an attempt to impose hegemony and guardianship on others,” the ambassador said adding that the siege countries did not succeed in their quest, and did not maintain the image in which they were trying to appear before the world.
Qatar, despite being subjected to injustice and treachery of those presumed to be brothers and neighbours, has maintained its religious, political and moral principles.
Discussions during the symposium focused on the Gulf crisis and the siege imposed on Qatar, which violated international norms and laws, and the repercussions of the crisis on regional and global security, global trade, and the fight against terrorism.
It also touched on the results of the siege in relation to human rights, freedom of information and expression, and other basic freedoms such as the rights to work, travel and study.