*Blockade hindering joint regional action against Covid-19
Qatar has renewed the call to end the unjust and unlawful siege imposed on it, stressing that the blockading countries based their action on false charges to undermine Qatar and its sovereignty.
Qatar said the policies that relied on the separation of brotherly peoples have failed and these policies have affected solidarity and regional cooperation, which has become more necessary amid the outbreak of the corona pandemic (Covid-19).
The message was conveyed in a statement to the UN Security Council, which held a virtual meeting on Thursday on "the situation in the Middle East, including the Palestinian issue" by HE Ambassador Sheikha Alya Ahmed bin Saif al-Thani, Permanent Representative of the State of Qatar to the United Nations.
Pointing to the crisis created by the blockading countries, she said it is "one of the crises that has complicated the situation in the region and cast negative shadows on its security and stability. The crisis was unlawfully fabricated, under the pretext of flimsy allegations and illegal unilateral actions on my country in June 2017."
She said: "Since then, the bad intentions behind the provocative and misleading campaign against Qatar had been revealed, and it had become clear that the lies on which they based their actions were null and void." The measures undermine regional co-operation and directly affect the countries of the region and all their people in facing the spread of the pandemic.
She stressed "ending the illegal and unjust blockade of Qatar and ending the closure of the airspace of blockading countries for Qatar aircraft, which is a violation of international law, have become more urgent. In this context, she referred to the complaint submitted by Qatar to the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Despite the continuation of these policies and procedures against Qatar, she noted that Doha has continued to adhere to principles based on respect for international law and the Charter of the United Nations, as it successfully resorted to international legal frameworks, particularly the International Court of Justice, to counter unjust measures that constitute a flagrant violation of the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, international conventions, charters and human rights.
HE the Ambassador reiterated the readiness of Qatar to settle the crisis peacefully through constructive, unconditional dialogue based on mutual respect that preserves the sovereignty of the States, and renewed the Qatar's appreciation for the sincere efforts of Kuwait's Amir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, while the other party continued to refuse the offer of dialogue.
HE Sheikha Alya warned of the danger of the spread of the coronavirus pandemic in the Middle East, stating that the region is particularly vulnerable to the devastating effects of the pandemic on the political, economic and social fields.
"What makes the humanitarian and the economies situation more complicated is the deficit in the health sectors as a result of the conflicts and crises in the region, in addition to the difficulty of facing the possible spread of the virus in the refugee camps, the displaced persons and the population groups suffering from destruction and violence.
"The spread of the coronavirus, which threatens everyone, should be a catalyst for rapprochement in the region, seeking solutions to crises and tensions, stopping hostilities and facilitating humanitarian access," she said.
She also commended the efforts being made by France, Tunisia and the rest of the Security Council members to adopt a resolution on Covid-19 pandemic.
"Qatar has devoted the necessary attention to addressing this transboundary issue, and has showed its high readiness to confront it, as it has initiated several precautionary measures at the national level, and has assured the absorptive capacity of the health sector, and has taken measures in the urgent and long term to counter the economic effects of the pandemic, in addition to its keenness to provide a high level of food security."
At the international level, she noted the assistance provided by Qatar to the countries affected by the pandemic, noting that Qatar is running urgent air bridges to transport medical equipment, and in order to ensure that the people stuck in the affected areas and the United Nations personnel are returned to their countries.
In particular, HE the Ambassador drew attention to the active role played by Qatar in facilitating their transit through Hamad International Airport, and to the continued operation of Qatar Airways, especially for humanitarian cases in light of the limited flights globally.
On the Syrian crisis, HE Sheikha Alya said: "Attempts to impose a military solution only leads to humanitarian catastrophes, as was recently shown in northwestern Syria, where targeting civilians led to the largest wave of displacement in the crisis and its breaching of flagrant violations of international humanitarian law, including targeting forbidden health facilities, according to what the summary of the report of the Board of Inquiry established by the Secretary-General."
She reaffirmed the necessity of a political solution to the Syrian Arab nation that leads to a political transition that meets the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people, in accordance with the Geneva Declaration and the implementation of Resolution 2254 with all its elements, in addition to achieving justice and accountability for war crimes and crimes against humanity.
On the situation in Libya, she stated that one of the most serious threats to the unity and stability of Libya is military operations against Tripoli and targeting the internationally recognised legitimate government launched by the forces of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar, during which serious violations of international humanitarian law were committed, the most recent of which was a missile attack on a hospital equipped to treat corona patients.
She renewed her call to all actors to uphold the interests of the Libyan people and respect their will for a peaceful solution and preserve the unity of their country, and to overcome human suffering, especially amid the threat posed by the repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic, expressing the State of Qatar's support for efforts to stop violence, achieve national consensus and implement Security Council resolutions.
Regarding the situation in Yemen, she stressed the urgent need to secure basic needs and facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to all Yemenis, especially in view of the threat posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
She said: "The fundamental solution to the human tragedy requires an end to the crisis through a comprehensive dialogue to achieve a political solution and national reconciliation based on Resolution 2216, and to maintain the unity of Yemen and achieve its security and stability." She expressed the support of Qatar to the efforts of the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General in implementing his mandate.
Concluding the statement HE the Ambassador called on the international community to reject attempts to stir up crises and use malicious methods to destabilise and threaten regional and international solidarity.
