No Script

Please Wait...

Al-Ahed Telegram

Merkel Urges Quiet Diplomacy to Resolve Qatar Crisis

Merkel Urges Quiet Diplomacy to Resolve Qatar Crisis
folder_openGermany access_time6 years ago
starAdd to favorites

Local Editor

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said at a meeting with the emir of Qatar Friday that Doha's crisis with Gulf neighbors will only be resolved through quiet diplomacy.

Merkel Urges Quiet Diplomacy to Resolve Qatar Crisis

"We view with concern the fact that 100 days since the start of the conflict no solutions can yet be seen," Merkel told a joint press conference with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

"And we spoke about the need for all the parties to sit at one table again as soon as possible."

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut ties with Qatar, accusing it of backing extremism and fostering ties with their Shiite rival Iran.

The emir stressed that Qatar hoped to resolve the crisis and "will keep supporting the Kuwait mediation until we reach a solution that satisfies all parties".

Merkel said Germany backed Kuwait and US mediation efforts and stressed the need for discretion to reach a compromise where all sides could "save face".

"We won't solve this conflict in the open with everyone in the world voicing their opinion" she said, calling for talks "that are not reported in the newspaper everyday".

Merkel said good results "are not reached in the market place but generally achieved by talking calmly and seeking a fair compromise."

The emir was in Berlin on his first tour abroad since the start of the crisis, having visited Turkey the previous day and headed next to France and then the UN General Assembly in New York.

Merkel was also asked about the controversial topic of how Qatar treats migrant workers building football facilities for the 2022 World Cup.

Since Amnesty International last year accused Qatar of using "forced labor", Doha says it has made significant steps to improve workers' welfare in pay, accommodation and on-site safety.

Merkel said that "we want migrant workers to be treated better", adding that "a reform process has started in Qatar and we want it... to continue".

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

Comments