Saturday 1 July 2017 - 10:45
Story Code : 266518
Why Doha, Riyadh should resolve Qatari crisis all by themselves
In an interview withSputnik, Russian political analyst Vitaly Naumkin ofthe Moscow-based Institute forOriental Studies specifically focused onstrained ties betweenQatar and Saudi Arabia.
"It seems tome thatQatar and Saudi Arabianeed neither Russian nor even American intermediaries," he said when answered whether Russia could mediate the settlement ofthe Qatari crisis.
"What is mediation? [US President] Trump proposed tohold an Arab summit inWashington. I think this is a stupid idea which will be rejected byDoha and Riyadh because they want tosave face," Naumkin said, expressing hope that Qatar and Saudi Arabia will reach a consensus ontheir own.
Naumkin recalled that the Arab countries have atleast three venues fortalks, including inthe Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League and the United Nations.
According tohim, Russia is discussing the Qatari crisis both withDoha and representatives ofthe United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.
"Although they (representatives ofQatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) have repeatedly paid visits toMoscow, this cannot be called mediation onthe part ofRussia. Mediation means efforts tomake them sit downat a negotiating table inMoscow, butI think that this is unlikely tohappen right now," Naumkin said.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt broke offdiplomatic relations withQatar onJune 5, accusing Doha ofsupporting terrorism and interfering intheir internal affairs.
Later, the Maldives, Mauritius, and Mauritania also announced the severance oftheir diplomatic relations withQatar. Jordan and Djibouti reduced the scale oftheir diplomatic missions inQatar, while Senegal, Niger and Chad announced the withdrawal ofthere ambassadors.
Last week, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt presented Qatar witha 13-point list ofdemands that it must fulfil inorder tohave the blockade lifted.
The ultimatum demands that Qatar, amongother things, cut its ties withIran, close the Turkish military base onits soil and shut downAl Jazeera and its affiliates.
Other demands call onDoha topublically denounce relations withIslamist groups, end its suspected financing ofterrorism and hand overpersons designated asterrorists bySaudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.
Moreover, financial compensation is demanded ofQatar, although the sum was not reported.
Qatar described these demands asunrealistic and said that they should be reviewed.Meanwhile, the Qatari riyal has fallen toits lowest trading value againstthe dollar in12 years asa result ofthe boycott ofQatar bya group ofArab countries.
While the Qatari riyal has been officially pegged at $3.64 tothe dollar since2005, offers forthe currency have fallen belowthe fixed rate amida fall indemand. According toBloomberg data, the spot exchange rate forthe riyal dipped to3.79 onJune 26, beforerecovering to3.72 onFriday.
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