09 June 2017•Update: 11 June 2017
By Ayhan Simsek
BERLIN
Qatar strongly rejected on Friday accusations that it supports terrorist groups and called for a diplomatic solution to growing tensions between Gulf states.
Speaking in Germany, Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said a terrorism blacklist issued by Saudi Arabia and its allies yesterday included “baseless" allegations against Qatar.
“We looked into this list last night and we have seen that it included persons and organizations many of which have no relationship to Qatar,” he told a joint press conference with German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, after their meeting in the central German town of Wolfenbuettel.
Al-Thani said many of the people on the list had never set foot in Qatar, some of them lived in other Gulf countries, and several organizations on the list were internationally recognized organizations who even cooperated with the United Nations.
On Thursday, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the UAE issued a joint statement accusing 59 individuals and 12 charity organizations in Qatar of being “linked to terror”.
Qatar’s top diplomat said the list was far from meeting international standards, and included “baseless” allegations to put pressure on Qatar amid recent tensions.
Gabriel praises cooperation
For his party, Gabriel said that in the past many countries in the region supported various organizations regarded by Germans and Europeans as “dangerous” groups.
He said German and Qatari authorities are in contact about a number of individuals suspected of indirectly funding such organizations, according to intelligence reports.
Gabriel underlined that these individuals are not linked to Qatar’s government and also thanked al-Thani for his cooperation.
Call for diplomacy
The two foreign ministers voiced concern over deepening tensions in the Gulf region and called for a diplomatic solution.
"Supporting security between the countries will happen through negotiations, and talking around the negotiating table,” al-Thani said.
"There is no solution other than diplomacy to sort out our problems, and therefore diplomacy will be the way to sort out our problems, not taking any drastic measures,” he added.
Germany’s top diplomat urged Gulf countries to refrain from steps that would further escalate tensions.
“Now we need diplomacy, we also need to talk to our colleagues in the U.S. and in the region in order to reach a solution,” Gabriel said, adding that Germany will do its utmost to contribute to a diplomatic solution and end the blockade on Qatar as soon as possible.
Al-Thani visited Germany amid the deepening crisis between Qatar and other Gulf states.
On Monday, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Yemen cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism. They also imposed a land, sea, and air blockade on Qatar.
