(MENAFN- The Peninsula) QNA
Qatar's Ambassador to Turkey Salem bin Mubarak Al Shafi said that the siege countries want to use the subject of terrorism to mislead the international community and the major powers about the nature of their intentions and their illegal and inhuman actions against Qatar.
In an interview with Turkish newspaper Daily Sabah, Salem bin Mubarak Al Shafi said that the siege measures against the State of Qatar will remain an ever lasting disgrace, pointing out that the siege countries are repeating baseless allegations about Qatar's connection with financing or supporting terrorism.
In response to a question that some people consider these measures to be a boycott not a siege, he said that the State of Qatar connects has land borders only with Saudi Arabia, and when Riyadh closes this border, it means that cuts our land connection to the world communication with the world and that definitely is a siege. He pointed that Saudi newspapers like Okaz, Al Eqtisadiah and Asharq Al Awsat described the measures taken against Qatar as a 'siege, adding that Western countries talk about a siege not a matter of boycott.
He added that they prevented Qatari aircraft from flying over their land, but Qatar was able to break this siege through the airspace of Iran and Turkey. The would close that too if they could, he added.
The Ambassador went on saying: ' Even if agree that it is a boycott, they contradict themselves by saying that they prevent their companies and citizens from dealing with Qatar and then offering that King Salman Center's help to Qatar by supplying food and medicines. Of course we refused that because we do not need them, even while under siege. He pointed that many of those in the siege countries deserve this assistance, so is better be given to them.
He considered that the actions taken by these countries to be illegal, immoral and far from human, Arab and Islamic values, pointing that thousands of families have been affected by these decisions. He added that the State of Qatar has documented these violations and that they are being followed by human rights institutions including the Human Rights Council in Geneva, Amnesty International, which described the expulsion of Qatari citizens from the siege countries as 'an absolute contempt for human dignity , Human Rights Watch and other relevant international institutions. 'We have also commissioned specialised legal offices in Switzerland to claim compensation for the material and moral damages suffered by all those affected by their actions, he added.
The Ambassador said that the use of Muslim Holy places in a political conflict was unacceptable and not lawful, pointing that Qatar has documented cases of expulsion of Qatari worshippers from Umrah, as well as cases of forcing Qatari residents in their hotels or students attending their schools to leave immediately. He said that those inhumane actions were not only on humans but also on animals, referring to expulsion of Qatari citizens-owned camels and cattle.
He stressed that all the influential countries in the international community, such as the US, Germany, France, Russia, Japan or the Islamic world, reject the actions of the siege countries of the blockade, therefore, officials in the siege countries are trying to deny these things to the media. He added people know perfectly well that they have no credibility, especially after their failure to provide evidence of the false accusations against Qatar and their refusal of negotiations.
On the allegations concerning Qatar's support or financing of terrorist organisations, Salem bin Mubarak Al Shafi said that Qatar, along with many countries of the world such as US, has officially demanded showing evidence and proof of these serious allegations. The siege countries failed to provide any evidence of these allegations, prompting US officials to express their frustration and disrespect with the whole matter, he said adding that the US State Department has publicly questioned the real cause of the crisis.
He stressed that the siege countries want to use the subject of terrorism to mislead the international community and major powers on the nature of their intentions and their illegal and inhuman actions against Qatar, because terrorism is a sensitive subject.
Salem bin Mubarak Al Shafi said that the history of Qatar is known and its policy is transparent, pointing that there was no Qatari citizens among the perpetrators of September 11 attack or the leaders of international terrorist organizations.
Qatar has not been used to finance terrorist operations around the world, however cities in the siege countries have been used to launder money and to finance terrorist organizations that have carried out operations in the West, he said adding that there is no social sympathy with terrorist operations or their perpetrators in Qatar, while studies have shown that a large number of sympathizers of ISIS are citizens of some of the siege countries.
He pointed out that, for many years, the siege countries have been known for using terrorism as a political tool to justify many illegal targets or policies such as staying in power, availing external support to their illegal power, covering up files of corruption and or getting closer to some countries at the regional and international levels. Therefore, they accuse Hamas movement of serving foreign agendas and also criminalise peaceful political groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood on the pretext of terrorism because these groups are real rivals to them and to their authorities.
He stressed that the classification of entire political groups as a terrorist organisation is unacceptable in most countries of the world and is not possible at all, pointing to the remarks of the US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who recently said, at a hearing of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US House of Representatives, that the group comprises millions of members, which complicates putting the entire group on the list of terrorism, adding that it has become part of the government in some countries.
He pointed out that the position of the State of Qatar is very clear, and that it does not use the issue of terrorism as a political tool. He added that Qatar is committed to the United Nations' listing with regard to the classification of terrorist groups and mechanism of combating them, stressing that the State of Qatar is a very active member in the fight against real terrorism and a participant in all related international platforms.
He said that despite Qatar's modest military capabilities compared to others, 'we preferred to increase spending on education, health, public services and development rather than spending on weapons. Our goal has been raising the living standard of our people and achieving prosperity. Thanks to this policy Qatari citizens' income has become the highest in the world and the state provides all basic services for free, he added.
Ambassador Al Shafi said that Qatar's cooperation with some of the siege countries, in the fight against terrorism, has been effective, pointing to the country's participation in the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen and the extradition of a convicted Saudi citizen.
On the siege countries demands of closing Al Jazeera network, Qatar's Ambassador referred to the remarks of the Minister of Foreign Affairs H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who said that the future of Al Jazeera network is not negotiable and the demand to close or block it is an unacceptable interference in Qatar's internal affairs. No sovereign independent state would allow anyone to dictate its policy or how to run its territory, he added. He also referred to the confession of the UAE Ambassador to Russia, in an interview with (The Guardian), in which he said that they do not have freedom of the press when nor they promote it.
With regard to the Turkish military base in Qatar, he said that it was established in accordance with a joint defence agreement between Qatar and Turkey in 2014, adding that the agreement was not secret and its goal as announced at the time of its signing is to contribute to enhancing the security and stability of the Gulf and the region as whole.
He stressed that such agreements fall within the framework of bilateral relations between two independent sovereign countries, and are not subject to the prior approval of any third country. He explained that the demand of close this base and to sever defense relations between us and Turkey is a blatant interference in Qatar's internal affairs and infringement of its rights as well as an attempt to impose guardianship on Qatar.
He said that it is ironic that there are American, British and French military bases in some of the siege countries. He stressed that there is no justification to demand the closure of the Turkish military base and the severing of defence relations between Qatar and Turkey, unless the siege countries have hostile intentions or plans for a military intervention that they believe the Turkish military base may prevent.
Salem bin Mubarak Al Shafi pointed out that Turkey's relations with the GCC countries are very good, especially with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Kuwait. 'We see that strategic relations between Turkey and the GCC countries are not only important and vital, but are also required and encouraged for the benefit of all of us and for the security of the Arab Gulf and the region, he added.
The Ambassador lauded Ankara's responsible and balanced position on the crisis and it keenness on the security and stability of the Gulf region as well as its relationship with all parties.
He said that the siege countries did not raise the dispute through the GCC, pointing that they have abrogated Article 10 of the Charter of the Council and, failed to use the mechanisms provided by the Council for resolving disputes and failed to consult the Council members regarding the illegal measures taken against Qatar. He added that the involvement Egypt , a non-GCC member, confirms that they do not want to solve the fabricated crisis within the GCC.
Al Shafi, affirmed that Doha is always open for negotiation and dialogue on the basis of equality and mutual respect. Claims and alligations can not be tackled without conclusive evidences, he said.
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