Tag: Gulf crisis

Qatar Airways files $69 million loss amid Gulf crisis

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar Airways on Tuesday posted a net loss of over $69 million in the year to March 2018, blaming the “illegal blockade” against Doha by a Saudi-led bloc of countries. The tiny Gulf emirate’s national airline said the period had been “the most challenging year in its 20-year history”. Saudi Arabia and its allies broke off diplomatic relations with gas-rich Qatar on June 5, 2017. They closed all land, sea and […]

No solution to Qatar crisis at Arab Summit: Saudi FM

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — The Gulf crisis, which has seen Qatar isolated by Saudi Arabia and its allies, is not on the table at the upcoming meeting of Arab League states, Riyadh’s foreign minister said Thursday. “The solution of Qatar will be within the GCC,” or the six-state Gulf Cooperation Council, Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir told reporters in Riyadh ahead of the Arab Summit. He was responding to an AFP question on whether the […]

Qatar to buy 12 Rafale fighter jets amid Gulf crisis

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar announced Thursday it had agreed to buy 12 French-built Rafale fighter jets, with an option for 36 others, during a state visit by President Emmanuel Macron. The deal, which follows Qatar’s purchase of 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale fighter jets in 2015, comes as the emirate is hit by a trade and diplomatic boycott by neighbouring countries in the region’s worst political crisis in years. © Agence France-Presse

Emir of boycott-hit Qatar to attend Gulf summit: minister

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani will attend a crucial summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council this coming week, Doha’s foreign minister said on Sunday. Speaking at a forum, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said Qatar’s leader had accepted the invitation to attend, amid the region’s worst political crisis in years. “I will attend the ministerial council tomorrow and the emir will attend the summit,” said the minister. He added […]

Kuwait invites boycott-hit Qatar to Gulf summit

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Kuwait on Thursday invited Qatar to a summit of Gulf countries next week, state media said, in the first such invitation in a months-long Saudi-led diplomatic boycott of Doha. Kuwait, which is not among Arab states boycotting Qatar, invited Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Haman Al-Thani to the summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council on December 5 and 6, the state-run KUNA news agency said. In June, Saudi Arabia, […]

No dialogue yet between rivals in Gulf crisis: Tillerson

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson on Sunday said talks between feuding Gulf states remained unlikely, as a Saudi-led boycott of Qatar nears its sixth month. “We cannot force talks among people who are not ready to talk,” Tillerson said at a press conference in Doha. “There is not a strong indication that parties are ready to talk yet,” he added. “We cannot and will not impose a solution on anyone.” […]

Saudi, allies unveil Qatar ‘terrorist’ blacklist

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi Arabia and its allies unveiled a “terrorist” blacklist on Tuesday of 18 organizations and individuals suspected of links with Islamist extremism that they said had ties with regional rival Qatar. The move by the four Arab governments came despite mounting international pressure to compromise in their weeks-old boycott of their fellow United States ally. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt blacklisted nine charity and media organizations and nine individuals “directly […]

Erdogan sees progress in Qatar crisis; says more time needed

ANKARA, Turkey (AFP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday said his visit to the Gulf region made a contribution to easing the crisis surrounding Ankara’s ally Qatar, but indicated that more time was needed to end the standoff. Erdogan visited Saudi Arabia and Kuwait at the weekend before heading to Qatar earlier Monday for talks with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in a trip aimed at defusing the crisis. Erdogan has voiced […]

Qatar emir ready for Gulf crisis talks with conditions

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar’s ruler said Friday that the Gulf emirate is ready for talks to resolve a diplomatic crisis with a Saudi-led bloc so long as his country’s sovereignty is respected. “We are open to dialogue to resolve the outstanding problems,” so long as Qatar’s “sovereignty is respected,” Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said in his first public comments since Saudi Arabia and its allies severed ties with the gas-rich emirate. “Any […]

UAE says changes to Qatar anti-terror law ‘positive’

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — An Emirati state minister Friday welcomed changes to Qatar’s anti-terror legislation as a “positive” step in the crisis between Doha and four Arab neighbor which accuse it of backing extremists. Qatar announced a decree by Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani late on Thursday establishing two nominal lists of individuals and terrorist entities, and the requirements for being included in them. It also defined terrorists, terrorist crimes, terrorist entities as well as […]

Qatar changes anti-terror law amid Gulf row

DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar announced Thursday changes to its anti-terror legislation, one of the controversial issues at the core of the crisis between Doha and its neighbors who accuse it of backing extremists. The decree from Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani establishes two national lists for individuals and terrorist entities and sets out the requirements for being included on them. It also defines terrorists, terrorist crimes, terrorist entities as well as the financing of terrorism. […]

Iran and Oman to strengthen ties amid Gulf crisis

    TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) – Iran and Oman will work to boost their ties, the Islamic republic’s President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday, as a diplomatic crisis continued to persist in the Gulf. “Iran and Oman have for years had fraternal relations and the best must be made of these good relations to reinforce them,” Rouhani said as he met Oman’s foreign minister. The Iranian government’s website reported Foreign Minister Yussef Bin Alawi as […]