Qatar expressed concern about the safety of its citizens in Saudi Arabia following the reopening of the countries’ border enabling Qataris to attend the annual Haj pilgrimage in Makkah.
HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said during a visit to Norway that Saudi authorities had yet to respond to queries from the Qatari Ministry of Islamic Affairs regarding the security of Qatari citizens during Haj.
“The level of tension between the two nations, the language and the tone of the Saudi media spreading hatred against Qatari people represents a great concern for us,” he told a news conference.
“Those people crossing the border right now are under the responsibility of the Saudi authorities for their security and safety,” he said, adding that “more than 100” citizens had crossed since the border was reopened.
HE Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani earlier met with his Norwegian counterpart Borge Brende.
During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations, means of boosting and developing them as well as developments of the Gulf crisis and a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest.
HE Sheikh Mohamed thanked Brende for his country’s position calling for the dialogue among all parties.
The Qatari foreign minister briefed his Norwegian counterpart on the humanitarian impact of the Gulf crisis.
He referred to the National Human Rights Committee’ s record of cases, the most prominent of which are cases involving family dispersal, especially women and children, and racial discrimination against Qatari students.
The foreign minister reiterated Qatar’s supportive stance of the Kuwaiti mediation, dialogue and an effective and sustainable diplomatic solution based on respect for international law and sovereignty.
He also briefed the Norwegian foreign minister on the status of Kuwaiti mediation, stressing Qatar’s positive interaction with it.
The foreign minister also stressed Qatar’s keenness to enhance the prospects of co-operation with the Kingdom of Norway.


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