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CAIRO, Egypt (AFP) — Arab states that have cut ties with Qatar vowed Wednesday to maintain their boycott of the emirate, criticizing its “negative” response to their list of demands to end the diplomatic crisis. Qatar appealed for “dialogue” to resolve the row while United States President Donald Trump spoke to Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to urge all parties “to negotiate constructively.” The foreign ministers of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab […]
by David Harding Agence France Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Qatar said Tuesday the demands of Arab rivals in a Gulf diplomatic crisis were impossible to meet, ahead of talks in Egypt between Saudi Arabia and allies that have cut ties with Doha. Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani told a press conference in Doha that the list of conditions for restoring relations “is unrealistic and is not actionable.” “It’s not about terrorism, […]
TEHRAN, Iran (AFP) — The head of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Tuesday described Saudi Arabia as a “terrorist state” as he announced his position had been extended for three years. Major General Mohammad Ali Jafari’s 10-year stint as commander of the elite military force was due to expire in three months. But in a speech carried by the semi-official Fars and Tasnim news agencies, he said it would continue until at least 2020. In a […]
by Ian Timberlake Agence France-Presse RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia’s King Salman ousted his nephew as crown prince on Wednesday and installed his son Mohammed bin Salman, capping a meteoric rise for the 31-year-old that puts him one step from the throne. The young prince already wielded huge power before he became heir, spearheading a sweeping economic and social reform programme for the ultraconservative kingdom. His rise comes at a crucial time for Saudi Arabia […]
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AFP) — Saudi King Salman on Wednesday named his son Mohammed bin Salman as crown prince, completing a gradual removal of powers from the previous Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 57, who has been fired. According to a royal decree issued by the official Saudi Press Agency, Mohammed bin Salman, 31, was also named deputy prime minister and maintains his post as minister of defense. Mohammed bin Nayef, a veteran law enforcer well-regarded in the […]
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 […]
ISTANBUL, Turkey (AFP) — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday slammed the economic and political isolation of Qatar as inhumane and contrary to Islamic values after key Gulf states broke off ties with Ankara’s ally. “Taking action to isolate a country in all areas is inhumane and un-Islamic,” Erdogan said in televised comments to his party in Ankara, after Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain broke off relations with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of […]
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 […]
by Ian Timberlake with David Harding in Doha Agence France Presse United States President Donald Trump threw his weight behind efforts to isolate Qatar on Tuesday, backing Saudi Arabia and its allies after they cut ties with Doha over claims it supports extremism. In a surprise move against a key US ally, Trump suggested Qatar — home to the largest American airbase in the Middle East — was funding extremism as he tacitly backed the diplomatic […]
(Eagle News) — The Department of Labor and Employment has suspended the deployment of Filipino workers to Qatar amid a diplomatic crisis that has engulfed the region, this as the head of the Philippine Embassy in Doha called on all Filipinos there to “remain calm.” Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the suspension of the deployment was effective today, June 6. There are 141,000 documented Filipino workers in Qatar. Meanwhile, in an advisory, Ambassador Alan TImbayan called on […]
Says agencies “will extend assistance, other support” to those who may be affected (Eagle News) — The Palace on Tuesday admitted that the cutting of diplomatic ties of some Arab countries with Qatar “may have some ripple effects” on Overseas Filipino Workers. In a statement read by Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella, the Palace said “concerned government agencies are now looking at the matter.” (The concerned government agencies) will extend assistance and other support to OFWS who may be […]
by David Harding Agence France Presse DOHA, Qatar (AFP) — Shoppers in Doha were taking no chances on Monday despite Qatari officials reassuring residents there was no need to panic after Saudi Arabia imposed a de facto food blockade. Qatar shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia, and relies heavily on food imports, much of it from Gulf countries. Arab nations including Saudi Arabia and Egypt on Monday cut ties with Qatar, accusing it […]
