Doha / Information Office / November 08

HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani blamed the siege countries for the dissolution of the GCC as a collective security system.

In a joint press conference held on Wednesday in Doha, with his Iraqi counterpart HE Ibrahim Al Jaafari, HE the Foreign Minister said the siege countries refuse to start a dialogue after it failed in proving its accusations against the State of Qatar. The siege countries continue their unfair and illegal actions affecting the system of the GCC and the State of Qatar holds them responsible for the dissolution of the GCC as a collective security system.

His Excellency revealed that the siege countries attempts to undermine the Gulf crisis has failed. His Excellency added that the failure reflected the siege countries' inability to see the serious repercussions that are beginning to surface. This was especially clear given the major developments in the region which showed the crisis led to a lack of collective security for the Gulf states.

HE the Foreign Minister said the international efforts to fight terrorism and its endeavors to settle the region's crises have been impacted with this crisis which put the siege countries in trouble with international diplomacy due to their stubborn behavior, refusal for dialogue and their commitment to political extremism and escalatory language which they continue to adopt.

His Excellency said the State of Qatar adopts a language of reason and calls on all to resort to dialogue and to prove that their fears are based on solid foundation, confirming their failure to invest political money to demonize Qatar.

HE the Foreign Minister said the State of Qatar hopes that wisdom will prevail and that the siege countries will overcome their aggressive behavior and move towards a prudent approach that relies on dialogue to settle the crisis, but to bypass Qatar by minimizing it, ignoring it by media, using hidden and twisted ways and not working on solving it is ineffective. His Excellency added that the State of Qatar is overcoming the crisis but is not overcoming the violations against the Qatari people saying if their people are not of importance to them, the Qatari people are of great importance to their government.

On the latest Bahraini statements, HE the Foreign Minister said they are ineffective because Bahrain's decisions were not made by it as everyone knows and it joined the siege despite not being involved in the matter.

With regards to reopening the Qatari embassy in Iraq, His Excellency said there is a clear directive from HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to urgently reopen and assign an ambassador in Iraq for the Qatar-Iraqi relations to have a fresh start.

His Excellency confirmed the State of Qatar's support to the Republic of Iraq's fight against terrorism and encourages it to continue its post-liberation efforts, expressing Qatar's commitment to effectively participation in the rebuilding operation. His Excellency also praised the victories achieved in facing ISIS and liberating the cities.

His Excellency confirmed Qatar's steady stance for Iraq's unity and the overcoming of disputes through dialogue and setting a national reconciliation program that includes all parties, noting that Iraq has a history of coexistence between all ethnicities and sects and a prominent position amongst Arab countries and worldwide.

HE the Foreign Minister saluted the Iraqi government for starting a dialogue with the Kurdistan Regional Government in effort to avoid Iraq's dissolution, expressing his hope that the dialogue includes all the Iraqi parties including the people of Kurdistan and that these efforts succeed so Iraq can be as before. HE the Foreign Minister said he hopes this visit is a new start for the Qatari and Iraqi relations. 

For his part, Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Ibrahim Al Jaafari said that his country does not support isolating or besieging any country, stressing that dialogue was indispensable. He added that dialogue is the only way to move the region from isolation to unity.

He added that his country called for maintaining brotherly relations ever since the outbreak of the GCC crisis, as Iraq rejects the presence of such sensitivities between brothers. He expressed hope that his visit to the State of Qatar will represent a positive turn in ties politically, economically, and in terms of security as well. He also hoped that the visit will help enhance Arab ties; especially that it carries strategic dimensions far beyond the tactical and security issues.

His Excellency said that the State of Qatar and the Republic of Iraq are united by politics, economy, and security. He noted that Iraq now is not only focused on geographic proximity, but is looking to enhance cooperation with all countries in the region led by Qatar.

Al Jaafari said that Iraqi-Iranian ties are based on joint interest and were not established at the expense of other countries. He also said that the ties focus on facing joint threats such as ISIS terrorism. The Minister of Foreign Affairs called on putting aside regional differences to face that threat.

He stressed that Iraq is always looking to put its ties to beneficial use for its brothers. He said that Iraq is concerned with bringing the GCC and Iran closer.

On the role of Iraq in mediating between Saudi Arabia and Iran, the Iraqi Minister of Foreign Affairs said that ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran were important for Iraq. He added that they were doing their best to boost that relationship, similar to their efforts in enhancing Turkish-Syrian ties.

He stressed that Iraq is playing a large role in bringer Saudi Arabia and Iran closer. He added that he is playing a similar role with many countries, expressing his hope that these efforts are rewarded with success to benefit the region.

He noted that the strategies of the Iraqi government is to establish ties based on understanding and to eliminate anything that can invite tensions between Arab countries and even any other country in the world.

He said that Iraq's victory over ISIS was one for the Arabic, Islamic and international will as the victims of terrorism were everywhere. He stressed that terrorism was a strategic enemy to all countries in the world, thus overcoming it was paramount. He added that Iraq took it upon them to deliver to face the threat head on. The country is now in the rebuilding phase in order to establish a new Iraq, he said. The Iraqi official also expressed his hope that all countries support Iraq.

On the developments in Iraq's Kurdistan region, he said that developments there should not be constituted as a rivalry. Instead, they were illegal acts. He stressed that Baghdad is keen on adopting dialogue in dealing with that issue.