Qatar's Siege A Clear Violation of Riyadh Agreement, Director of Government Communications Office Says
Doha / Information Office / July 10
Director of the Government Communications Office of the State of Qatar HE Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al-Thani said that the siege laid on the State of Qatar is a clear violation to the Charter of the GCC, to the Riyadh agreement 2013-2014 and its implementation mechanisms.
His Excellency told CNN that the provisions and articles of Al Riyadh agreement aimed to enhance cooperation between sovereign GCC states and avoiding interference in internal affairs. His Excellency added that the recent developments were an unwarranted and unprecedented attack on Qatar's sovereignty by the siege countries.
HE Sheikh Said bin Ahmed Al-Thani added that the demands bore no relation to the Riyadh agreements which included shutting down Al Jazeera and paying damages, adding that the procedures of the siege countries led to breaking up of GCC families. His Excellency noted that neither Saudi Arabia or UAE communicated their concerns to the State of Qatar ahead of the crisis, in accordance to the mechanisms of Al Riyadh agreement.
Responding to a question by CNN on the documents broadcast by the channel allegedly revealing the contents of the Riyadh agreement 2013 and the Riyadh supplementary agreement in 2014, His Excellency said he was unaware of the channel's report on the two agreements and whether it contained the full agreements or parts of it. His Excellency stressed that some of the allegations and demands of the siege countries have no basis, while the other were an unwarranted and unprecedented attack on the sovereignty of the State of Qatar in violation to all international and regional agreements. His Excellency added that this prompted the State of Qatar rejected those demands as they were illegitimate and were condemned by the international community.
His Excellency said that the current crisis was a result of a hacking, fabricated statements, and a coordinated media campaign against the State of Qatar. His Excellency noted that Saudi Arabia and the UAE attempted to conceal facts from the general public, including their own citizens, going so far as to block Al Jazeera and other media outlets within their borders.