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ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — The United Arab Emirates (UAE) said Wednesday that its first nuclear reactor would come online in late 2019 or early 2020, further delaying the launch of the Arab World’s first atomic power station. Construction of the first of four reactors at the $20 billion (17 billion euro) Barakah plant has been completed ahead of “operation by the end of 2019 (or) early 2020,” Emirates Nuclear Energy Corpation said, quoted […]
by David Harding Agence France Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — On the first anniversary of a bitter Gulf diplomatic rift, Qatar’s foreign minister on Tuesday declared his country stronger than ever and said it was open to dialogue with its regional rivals. Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani also rebuked Qatar’s foes for “imaginary victories” against the small Gulf state, the target of a Saudi-led boycott. “One year on and Qatar and its people are stronger,” Al-Thani, […]
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — Qatar’s emir in an intervew airing Sunday accused Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies of seeking to topple his government with its nearly five month old political and economic embargo of the tiny Gulf state. “They want a regime change. It’s… so obvious,” Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani told CBS’ 60 Minutes. “History as well tells us, teaches us they tried to do that before, in 1996 after my father […]
by David Harding Agence France Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar’s foreign minister said Tuesday it will take a “lot of time” to rebuild any trust between sparring Gulf countries because of the region’s continuing diplomatic crisis. As the impasse between Doha and four Arab states led by Saudi Arabia entered its 11th week, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said regional relations had been transformed by the dispute. “Qatar has always been one of the […]
UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) — Qatar’s foreign minister on Thursday accused Gulf neighbors and Egypt of “stubbornness” in their ongoing diplomatic dispute and said the United Nations should step in to help resolve the crisis. Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York to discuss tensions after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar on June 5. The four countries accuse Qatar […]
by Omar Hasan with David Harding in Doha Agence France Presse KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AFP) — Qatar on Monday responded to a list of demands from Saudi Arabia and its allies after they agreed to give a defiant Doha another 48 hours to address their grievances. Details of the response were not immediately available, but a Gulf official told AFP that Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani had delivered it during a short […]
MECCA, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu held talks in Saudi Arabia on Friday with King Salman, continuing efforts to resolve the Gulf’s biggest diplomatic crisis in years. Diplomatic sources told AFP that “the meeting was positive,” but there were no specifics. Riyadh, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and others severed diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar almost two weeks ago, accusing Doha of supporting groups, including some backed by Iran, “that […]
DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar Airways said on Wednesday that it was largely unaffected by the decision of several Arab countries to ban the Doha-based carrier from using their airspace. “Qatar Airways’ global operations continue to run smoothly, with the vast majority of our network unaffected by the current circumstances,” said chief executive Akbar Al-Baker. The Qatari carrier released a statement saying it had operated some 1,200 flights in the past week, 90 percent of […]
by Omar Hasan Agence France Presse KUWAIT CITY, Kuwait (AFP) — While the Gulf’s bitter diplomatic crisis is unlikely to affect energy prices in the short term, a prolonged rift that disrupts Qatar’s gas supplies could send prices soaring, analysts say. With rising United States shale oil output driving a global supply glut, the decision by Saudi Arabia and its allies earlier this month to sever diplomatic ties with Qatar provided only a fleeting boost […]
by Ali Khalil Agence France Presse DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AFP) — Qatar Airways has made Doha a global hub in just a few years, but barring it from Gulf states’ airspace threatens its position as a major transcontinental carrier, experts say. Along with its Gulf peers — Dubai’s Emirates Airlines and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad — Qatar’s national carrier has captured a sizable portion of transit travel, capitalising on the Gulf’s central geographic location. But […]
by David Harding Agence France Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar moved Sunday to avoid an escalation of its feud with Gulf neighbors by telling their citizens they are welcome to stay, while boasting of “business as usual” for vital gas exports. Iran also announced it had sent tons of vegetables to Qatar, which has seen food imports threatened after its neighbors cut air, sea and land links with the country. Nearly a week after […]
by Andrew Beatty, Ian Geoffrey Timberlake and David Harding Agence France Presse WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — United States President Donald Trump urged Gulf unity Tuesday in remarks released just hours after he appeared to back Saudi Arabia and its regional allies’ decision to sever ties with Qatar. In an abrupt and sweeping move, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain announced Monday they were cutting diplomatic relations and closing air, sea and land links with […]
