Qatar does not intend to escalate the crisis with United Arab Emirates, but it is important for the country to resort to legal means to redress the harm inflicted on its citizens because of the procedures taken by the UAE, HE the Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lolwah al-Khater has said. 
In an interview with Turkey's Anadolu Agency in Doha, al-Khater touched on the complaint submitted by Qatar against the UAE in the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The court issued a provisional decision on the complaint on Monday.
She said the UAE has not engaged with Qatar in any diplomatic negotiations regarding this complaint. "Doha has worked towards finding diplomatic solutions, however they have not been fruitful, therefore it has decided to move in a parallel legal direction but (Qatar) remains open to the diplomatic route." 
The ICJ comprises15 judges and is part of the UN Security Council. The court's mission is to review the disputes between states or it can be approached by UN entities for an advisory opinion, she said.
Al-Khater said Qatar filed a complaint on June 11, 2018 against the UAE for discriminatory treatment of Qatari citizens. Such treatment reached their own citizens when they made sympathising with Qatar an offence.
Responding to a question whether the ICJ order is binding on the parties, HE al-Khater said the decision is binding because UAE is signatory to the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (CERD).
She said there has always been a question why is the litigation against UAE and not any of the other siege country. The reason is purely legal and technical; and that is because Article 22 of CERD allows litigation or recourse to the ICJ and that Qatar and the UAE are signatories to this agreement. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have made reservations on Article 22.
On June 11, Qatar filed a complaint with the International Court of Justice, accusing the UAE of committing discriminatory measures against Qatari citizens, resulting in human rights violations that still exist.
In its complaint, Qatar said the UAE has deprived Qatari companies and individuals of their properties and bank deposits in the UAE and also denied them the right to basic education, medical treatment and litigation in UAE courts.
Regarding the measures taken by the UAE in dealing with the complaint, she said the UAE has a legal team working on it. 

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