File photo of of Qatar Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani in Moscow [PPIO]In the midst of a growing crisis over his country’s diplomatic split with some Arab countries, Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani is in Moscow to hold talks with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday.
Saudi Arabia and many of its Arab allies, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Yemen, Libya’s transitional government, as well as Maldives and Mauritius cut diplomatic ties with Qatar this week.
Lavrov and his Qatar counterpart will take stock of diplomatic efforts to diffuse the crisis, according to Russian news agency Tass.
Russian presidential aide, Yuri Ushakov has said earlier this week that, unlike the US, Russia had not yet announced any mediation attempts between the warring groups.
After the flare-up, Russian President Vladimir Putin “reaffirmed Russia’s principled position in favour of settling crises by political and diplomatic means, through dialogue” in a phone call with the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has offered Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to mediate the standoff between Qatar and the Saudi-led coalition.
In a contradictory approach, Trump had used social media site Twitter on Tuesday to praise Saudi Arabia’s decision to sever ties with Qatar.
During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar – look!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
So good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off. They said they would take a hard line on funding…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
…extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 6, 2017
Qatar’s envoy to the US also appealed to the Trump administration to take an objective view regarding the crisis.
“We appeal to the US administration to rely on their own sources and not on countries with political agendas,” Meshal Hamad Al Thani said.
Saudi Arabia and other US allies in the region have cited Qatar’s alleged support for regional rival Iran and for extremist groups as explanation for their decision. They suspended flights and sea travel to Qatar, expelling its diplomats and citizens.
Qatar has dismissed the Saudi charges as baseless.
TBP and Agencies