Qatar emir to visit Turkey Thursday: Turkish presidency

Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will visit Turkey on Thursday to discuss issues of bilateral and international agendas with Erdoğan, the Turkish president's press service said
Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (L) and Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (R).
Wednesday, 13 September 2017 22:19

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will visit Turkey on Thursday to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, in his first visit abroad since the start of a diplomatic crisis with Saudi Arabia, Ankara said.

The Qatari emir held a meeting with Erdoğan in July, during the latter's visit to the country as part of his Persian Gulf tour. The visit came as part of Erdoğan's efforts to solve the diplomatic row between a number of Arab states and Qatar, however, the move brought no changes to the situation.

The Turkish government has been a major supporter of Doha since Qatar was left diplomatically and economically isolated by the standoff instigated by its giant neighbour.

In early June, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism and interfering in their internal affairs. Through Kuwait, which is acting as a mediator in the crisis, the four Arab states handed over an ultimatum containing 13 demands to Doha, but the country has refused to comply with them.