Saudi Ambassador to Egypt: Quartet actions against Qatar are based on its wrong policies

Ahmed bin Abdul Aziz Qattan, Saudi Ambassador to Egypt, has said that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, is keen to strengthen cooperation between Saudi Arabia and all the countries of the world.

Ambassador Qattan, who is also his country's Permanent Representative to the Arab League and the Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps accredited to the host country of Egypt, currently leading the Kingdom's delegation to the 148th session of the Arab foreign ministers in Cairo, added that the Kingdom is keen on the unity and sovereignty of Yemen, Syria, Iraq and Libya.

The Saudi Press Agency quoted Mr. Qattan as saying that Saudi Arabia is keen on the safety of their territories, restoring security, advancing their march towards development and building as the political solution based on legitimate and international resolutions is the only way to solve these issues.

Qattan said that he considered the actions taken by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Arab Republic of Egypt against Qatar are sovereign measures, based on the wrong policies practiced by the Qatari Government over many years in supporting and financing terrorism and hosting those involved in terrorism on its territory, spreading hatred and interfering in the internal affairs of other states.

The 13 demands submitted by these countries and the six principles are in fact meant to highlight the Qatari violations and call on it to abide by former agreements, he said, citing that Qatar did not abide by the Riyadh Agreements of 2013 and 2014, and continued its negative and hostile policies towards the countries of the region.

"We have had to take these measures for the benefit of Qatar on one hand and our security and stability on the other," he said, citing that there are several Arab and international condemnations of these actions carried out by Qatar.

"The four countries will continue to adhere to these demands until Qatar responds to these demands," he said. "Unfortunately, Qatar has given its first hope to end its crisis with the four countries, that have boycotted it since 5th June 2017, after the telephone call between Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Deputy Premier and Minister of Defence, and the Emir of Qatar, who made the call, whereby Qatar evaded and distorted the reality of the contents of the telephone call that took place."

He added, "Dialogue with Qatar will be suspended until Qatar issues a clear position, publicly, showing its willingness to dialogue. What Qatar has done reinforced the fact that they are unwilling to enter into dialogue."

On Qatar's rapprochement with Iran, Qattan explained that "this is a sovereign decision, but the embrace in the arms of the Iranians and others will only lead to ruin and destruction and will have a negative effect on them".

"Everyone, especially in the GCC states, recognises the destructive Iranian role which is the interference in internal affairs and destabilisation and security in GCC states. No country has dealt with Iran and achieved good from behind it. If the Qatari regime thinks that it has an interest in rapprochement with Iran, the coming days will prove that this is not true at a time when the Qatari people themselves will not accept that Iran will have a role in Qatar."