Moscow / Information Office / June 26
HE Qatar's Ambassador The Russian Federation Fahad Bin Mohammed Al-Attiyah said Monday that the countries enforcing a siege on Qatar have made unfair decision, particularly when it comes to the blocking of land, sea, and aerial borders.
HE the ambassador said that these moves had a negative impact on the lives of Qatar's citizens and residents. His Excellency stressed that there was a violation of international law, particularly aerial transport. He added that Qatar made a complaint to International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in that regard.
HE the ambassador also said that the countries putting Qatar under siege also issued a strange decision to punish anyone who shows compassion with the State of Qatar, even if it is on social media. Such punishment could reach jail time and bail. His Excellency said that his move was a clear violation of freedom of expression in countries that claims a love for freedom and a respect for human rights. He added that these decisions were condemned by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Ambassador Al Attiyah said that the countries also issued a terrorist list of individuals and organizations and linking them to Qatar, even though that is the role of the United Nations and the Security Council. He noted that the names listed were filled with mistakes and contradictions. Qatar Charity for example, one of the countries listed, cooperates with the UN and is praised by the entire world for its humanitarian aid efforts. Other names on the list were to people who were dead, or who are not even residents of the State of Qatar. He noted that Qatar issued a statement clarifying all those false allegations in detail.
The Qatari ambassador added that his country will not retaliate or escalate rhetoric against any of those countries. Instead, it remained committed to the unity of the GCC and stressed that differences can be resolved through dialogue. Qatar also welcomed Kuwaiti mediation efforts of HH Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed Al Jaber Al Sabah.
HE the ambassador stressed that Qatar's commitment to its values led to panic among the countries of the siege, whose positions seemed contradictory. Saudi Arabia's Minister of Foreign Affairs described the action as cutting ties rather than a siege. He added that Saudi Arabia was willing to provide the State of Qatar with food products. The ambassador noted that the problem was not with the lack of food products, but with the impact the siege had on the lives of many families. He noted that the State of Qatar responded to those remarks by highlighting that it doesn't need aid giving its status as a donor country. The statement said that lifting the siege is what is required, given that there was no basis for it. The ambassador said that the statement led the countries to retreat under the scrutiny of the global public opinion, as it was revealed that their position was fragile. That in turn led to a deeper questioning of their actions.
He added that the absence of any support to these measures inside Qatar proved to everyone, led by the countries taking the measures, that the Qatari people were fully behind its leadership. The ambassador said that this was the main reason behind the failure of the measures taken by those countries. He stressed that the State of Qatar rejects any mandates or interference in its internal or foreign policies. It rejects any allegations related to terrorism, and instead calls for a constructive dialogue related to the security of the GCC without being subjected to strange plots.
HE ambassador Al Attiyah said that he sensed a positive position from the Russian leadership and society towards the siege against the State of Qatar. He noted that the people of Russia are known to always sides with those suffering from injustice. They also understand that such crises were an obstacle to fighting terrorism and to resolving conflicts in countries such as Libya, Syria, and Yemen.