Turkey
cemented its friendship with Qatar after the Gulf crisis began and
emerged as an important ally and strategic partner, Doha-resident Tek
Raj Pandey told Qatar Urdu Radio’s live show Haqeeqat yesterday.
“The
impact of the blockade of Qatar was minimal because of support from
countries such as Turkey that sent food cargos and other supplies. We
immediately started seeing Turkish products in the market and realised
that Turkey is our friend,” Pandey
explained.
He was of the view
that the presence of Turkish troops in Qatar is important for the safety
of the region. Both countries signed a defence agreement in 2014 after
which Turkey set up a
military base in Qatar.
“Turkish army is
present here for a while now as per a pact signed earlier. This has
helped maintain a balance as well as ensure the safety of Qatar during
the crisis,” Pandey asserted.
The future of the Gulf Co-operation Council looks bleak if the crisis
prolongs, he stated.
“There
used to be free movement of people in the region and there were
discussions going on about common currency and other initiatives to
strengthen GCC economies. All of these plans came to a halt because of
the illegal siege, which is unfortunate for everyone in the region.”
Haqeeqat,
which aims to engage and interact with the large South Asian expatriate
community in Qatar, is a joint venture of the Gulf Times and Qatar
Media Corp Urdu Radio. The show is hosted by Saif-ur-Rehman. It is
broadcast from Sunday to Thursday on FM107.
Log on to Qatar Urdu Radio on Facebook and ‘@QatarUrduRadio’ on Twitter for feedback and comments about the show.
Tek Raj Pandey