Reuters/Doha
Qatar aims to see a peace process in Afghanistan by the time Nato combat operations end in 2014, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani said yesterday as the Afghan Taliban movement prepared to open an office in Doha.
With the focus in Afghanistan shifting from a military push by Nato troops to potential talks on a peaceful settlement, US President Barack Obama and Afghan counterpart Hamid Karzai said last week they supported the opening of a Taliban office in Doha.
Obama is seeking an orderly way out of the war, which was triggered by the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US by an Al Qaeda network.
The planned office is one of a series of gestures, including the possible transfer to Qatar of Taliban detainees from the US military’s Guantanamo Bay prison, aimed at injecting momentum into the tentative reconciliation efforts.
Qatar, a long-time Gulf Arab peace broker in Afghanistan’s war, said preparations were under way to open the Taliban’s office as soon as possible to facilitate talks.
“The US and others will withdraw in 2014, and I think it’s an important core ideal that at least there is a political process in place, to have stability,” HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim told a news conference with Libyan Prime Minister Dr Ali Zeidan.
“Our aim is to help our Afghan brothers and find a solution accepted by all, or most, parties,” he added.
The Prime Minister also urged a “political dialogue” to solve the Mali problem.
“Of course we wish that this problem could be solved through dialogue, a political dialogue. I think that political dialogue is important and necessary. I don’t think that power will solve the problem,” HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said.
He said the Mali problem should be “discussed between neighbouring countries, the African Union and the (UN) Security Council,” adding that his government, which was instrumental in supporting uprisings in several Arab Spring nations, is ready to help in mediating a solution.
“If anyone would ask for our help, from all parts... we will be a part of the solution, (but) not the sole mediator.”
The Prime Minister said Qatar would stand by Egypt and did not want to see it go bankrupt, a week after Doha said it would lend Cairo an additional $2bn and grant it an extra $500mn outright.
Asked whether his country would increase aid to Egypt, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said: “Qatar will stand by Egypt and the Egyptian people’s needs. We don’t want to see the biggest country in the Arab world bankrupt. I don’t think this is wise. I think it is in the interest of the World Bank and the international community not to see Egypt brought down.”
Qatar News Agency (QNA) adds: HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said that his meeting with the Libyan prime minister had tackled all aspects of political and economic co-operation as well as military and security relations, especially “in the field of training”.
He added that their talks touched on how to conduct training and development should Libya need any kind of co-operation with the relevant Qatari bodies.
Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim expressed his pleasure at the visit by the Libyan prime minister and his accompanying delegation to Doha and the talks held to stress the close ties between the two countries.
He described as “special” the Qatari-Libyan relations, particularly after the Libyan people revolution’s victory. He added that “the role and duty done by Qatar to help the Libyan people came from believing that these people deserve freedom and be managed by democratic manner.”
On the Libyan-Qatari ties, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said that Qatar was dealing today with an elected Libyan government and had no financial or political ambitions there. “We’re a state of institutions and deal with the official authorities in Libya with all respect and we do not interfere in affairs of any party and if they want any help to the extent required by the Libyan government, we will deal from this standpoint,” the Premier added.
“There are some rumors that come from certain parties with certain targets; we do not care about them, what is important for us are the ties between the Libyan and the Qatari people who know the extent of the sacrifices that had been made.
“Qatar is a rich country, Libya also is a rich country and relations between the Libyan and Qatari people and governments are strong and based on appreciation, respect and non-interference in the internal affairs of any party.”
He pointed out that “Qatar during the liberation of Libya from (Muammar) Gaddafi had co-operated with many Libyan parties and it had relations with various parties in Libya and did not prefer any party to other”.
He said that “these relations had not been considered as an interference at that time because its goal was to help the people and the Libyan rebels to get rid of the previous era to begin of a new one.”
