Gulf states urge Qatar to accept 6 principles to 'combat extremism'

Saudi Arabia’s UN Ambassador said that the four nations are now committed to the six principles agreed to by their foreign ministers at a meeting
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, gives a speech in front of the Arab league. File Photo.
Wednesday, 19 July 2017 20:31

Saudi Arabia’s UN Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi told a briefing for a group of UN correspondents that the four nations are now committed to the six principles agreed to by their foreign ministers at a meeting in Cairo on July 5, and hope Qatar will support them as well, AP reported.

The principles include commitments to combat extremism and terrorism, prevent financing and safe havens for such groups, and suspend all acts of provocation and speeches inciting hatred or violence. Al-Mouallimi said the four-nation quartet thinks it "should be easy for the Qataris to accept" the six principles. He stressed that implementation and monitoring must be "essential components," and "there will be no compromise when it comes to principles," the report said.

The Saudi ambassador explained that the initial 13 points included some principles and some tools to achieve compliance. Mixed in the 13 points were what Western nations might see as fair demands, such as cracking down on support for extremists and curbing ties with Iran, and tougher-to-swallow calls to shut down the Al-Jazeera television network -- one of Qatar’s best-known brands -- and kick out troops from NATO member Turkey, which has a base in Qatar, it added.

Al-Mouallimi stressed that stopping incitement to violence is essential, but he said closing Al-Jazeera might not be necessary.

According to the report, UAE Minister of State for International Cooperation Reem Al Hashimy said Qatar has further escalated the situation by encouraging Turkey’s military presence. "We do not want to see a military escalation of any kind," she said. "We hope to be able to resolve this internally and among ourselves with the assistance of strong mediation, whether it’s from the U.S. or the Kuwaitis."

Al-Mouallimi stressed that Qatar’s future lies with its neighbours not with "faraway places," a clear reference to Turkey and Iran which are supporting Doha, the report said. "Our Turkish brothers need to recognise that the era of covert and to some extent unwanted intervention in the Arab world has long gone," he said. "If Turkey wants to play a constructive role they are welcome to do so, but trying to find the role through military bases or military intervention would not be productive, and would not fare well for Turkey’s reputation in the Arab world."