Qatar diplomatic gap. Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and the Maldives have severed diplomatic relations with Qatar
On Monday, June 5, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE announced the severance of diplomatic and consular relations with Qatar. Correspondent Federal News Agency talked with an expert about the diplomatic scandal, which has already affected the rise in world oil prices.
As Lenta.ru reports, the Gulf countries accuse Doha of supporting terrorist organizations and actions that destabilize the internal situation in these Arab states. Saudi Arabia said that by ceasing diplomatic relations with Qatar, Riyadh protected itself from “terrorism and extremism.” The kingdom called on "all brotherly countries and companies to do the same."
According to media reports, the conflict between the Gulf countries and Qatar occurred after the summit of the Gulf states and the United States in Riyadh, when the Qatar News Agency posted a speech on behalf of the emir in support of building relations with Iran. In turn, Saudi Arabia, on behalf of all the guests of the summit, condemned Tehran for its “hostile policy”, threatening an adequate response. Qatar's Foreign Ministry later said that the news agency's portal had been hacked by hackers, and that the speech itself had nothing to do with the emir.
According to Gazeta.ru, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates Etihad Airways has decided to suspend all flights to Qatar. The last flight took place at 2.45 local time.
In turn, the United States Secretary of State Rex Tillerson stated that the United States calls on the parties to the conflict to sit down at the negotiating table, eliminating all differences. Washington expresses confidence that the Gulf Cooperation Council should remain united.
Political and military expert of the People's Diplomacy Foundation and representative of the expert-analytical club "Future Today" Sergey Prostakov noted in a commentary to FAN that Qatar is a unique state whose role in the region, despite its small territory and complete military dependence on the United States, was enormous. Qatar is home to the American military base Al Udeid, the headquarters of the forward command of the US Central Command, engaged in planning and conducting military operations in the Middle East, and the 609th Air and Space Operations Center. These structures support all Pentagon operations in the region.
“However, this state of affairs makes Qatar completely dependent on American domestic policy. The country, which has rich oil and gas reserves, was the main instrument Obama And Hillary Clinton in the implementation of their plans in the Arab Spring. They included not only a change in the Middle Eastern countries’ regimes that were oriented toward the republican elite, but also a redistribution of the hydrocarbon market, after which Qatar would gain access to the European market through Egypt and Syria,” explained Sergei Prostakov.
According to the expert, financing of terrorist organizations, the media giant Al-Jazeera, trade in gas and oil - Qatar used all this at the instigation of Washington to destroy competitors and establish its power in the Middle East. But coming to power Donald Trump and Republicans, closely linked to American energy companies, stopped the expansion of Doha's influence. It is impossible not to notice that the rupture of relations between the Arab states and Qatar occurred following the visit of the US President to the region. And the actions of the Washington-oriented authorities of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE, no less than in Doha, cannot but be related to American politics.
“Tillerson’s formal and protocol words about the need to maintain the unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council will not change anything in the relations of competing countries. For American policy in the Middle East, everything also remains the same: the US military presence in Qatar is such that it does not depend on any change of power in Doha, even if it happens. But in the oil and gas market, the Qatari leadership is finally cut off from Europe and is forced to focus on unstable East Asia. And militant groups financed by Doha face the prospect of being left alone in the face of pro-Saudi and pro-Turkish competitors and the anti-terrorist coalition. And Qatar, which was the main instrument of destruction of the peaceful Middle East, turns out to be a loser from the “Arab Spring” initiated with its help,” summed up Sergei Prostakov.
The main international news: seven countries immediately broke off diplomatic relations with Qatar, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. Their governments accuse Doha of supporting terrorist groups, as well as of behind-the-scenes negotiations with Iran.
There is already a market reaction to everything that is happening - oil prices are going up.
Passenger airliners frozen on the runway are now, perhaps, the only visible embodiment of the diplomatic scandal between Qatar on the one hand and, on the other hand, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt, Yemen, Libya and the Maldives that joined them. The chain reaction of ruptures in diplomatic relations paralyzed air traffic - about ten airlines suspended flights to and from Qatar. And no loud statements on camera. The exchange of unkind things takes place on Twitter:
- “Defending against the threat of terrorism and extremism, Saudi Arabia decided to sever diplomatic relations with Qatar. We are closing land and sea borders and stopping air traffic.”
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar is surprised and deeply regrets the decision of the Saudi Arabian authorities, given that this decision was based on unverified facts and false accusations.”
Saudi Arabia and the countries that followed its example cite Qatar's support for almost all known Middle Eastern terrorist organizations as the reason for the rupture. The list includes Al-Qaeda, ISIS, which is banned in our country, the Muslim Brotherhood and armed groups of Yemeni rebels.
Doha says the accusations are unsubstantiated. And the immediate reason for the break can be considered the words allegedly said by the Qatari emir about the need to cooperate with Iran for the success of the fight against terrorism. And this is after Riyadh once again very militantly condemned Tehran’s policy. In Doha, of course, they said that the emir did not say anything like that, the statement was fabricated by hackers. But the neighbors could not be convinced. And connection with Shiite Iran is a serious accusation for Sunni Arabs.
Qatari diplomats were given two days to leave. Three countries are expelling all Qatari citizens at once. The country was expelled from the Arab coalition fighting in Yemen. The offices of the Qatari television channel Al Jazeera are closing across the region. Egyptian bankers are suspending transactions with colleagues from Doha. And even the Saudi football club Al Ahly, whose sponsor was Qatar Airways, refused sponsorship.
The United States has already volunteered to reconcile the quarreling countries, but this is understandable: there are more American military bases in Kuwait than in Qatar. Russia takes a neutral position and calls for restraint.
“This is their business, this is the bilateral relations of these states. We do not interfere in these decisions. Although we are suspected of being behind any event in the world, I assure you that this is not the case,” said Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. - We have never been happy about the difficulties that arise in relations between other countries, we are interested in maintaining good relations with everyone, especially in a region in which the most important thing now is to concentrate all efforts on combating a common threat to all - threat of international terrorism."
Oil prices have risen slightly today, but this is most likely a reaction to general tension; after all, Qatar is not an oil producer, but a gas exporter. It mainly sells liquefied gas, which is transported by sea. But for the last ten years, a gas pipeline from Qatar to the Emirates has also been operating, and this is where Doha may have problems.
Qatar's land exports were also carried out almost entirely through Saudi Arabia, the border with which is now locked. Shipping by sea can only partially compensate. Plus the painful loss of traditional allies.
At the same time, Qatar interprets the events as an attempt by its neighbors to impose their will on it, which means it is unlikely to make concessions right away. And the population of the country, as Arab journalists write, is hastily purchasing water and food - they are mostly imported in Qatar. And the residents are afraid that soon there will be no more of them left.
Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were the first to announce the severance of diplomatic relations with Qatar. Bahrain accused its Gulf neighbor of attempting to interfere in domestic politics, destabilizing the situation in the region and financing Iran-backed terrorist groups. The country announced the cessation of sea and air communications with Qatar in the next 24 hours, the expulsion of all diplomats from the country within 48 hours and the expulsion of all citizens of this country in the next 14 days - in the future they will be prohibited from entering Bahrain. In addition, subjects of the King of Bahrain are prohibited from visiting Qatar.
Saudi Arabia took similar measures, taking advantage of “its sovereign right guaranteed by international law.” Riyadh explained its actions as protection against terrorism and extremism. In addition to stopping transport links and expelling diplomats, the Saudi monarchy, by its decision, excluded Qatar from the joint military coalition of forces fighting Shiite rebels in the south of the peninsula in Yemen. Yemen itself, along with another Arab country suffering from civil war, Libya, also joined the demarche.
It was to Saudi Arabia that US President Donald Trump recently made his first foreign visit. In addition to the one-sided talks, he also addressed the leaders of 55 Muslim countries specially invited to Riyadh. In his speech, the US President attacked terrorism and the countries that support it. He especially noted Iran, but no accusations were made against Qatar.
During the visit, the American delegation also entered into several business agreements with the Saudi Arabian government, including in the defense sector.
Bahrain is also important for the United States - the main base of the US Fifth Fleet is located here. Thus, Washington’s two closest allies in the region were the first to initiate the severance of relations.
They were almost immediately joined by two other regional powers. The United Arab Emirates accused Qatar of destabilizing the situation in the region and creating a security threat and also severed communications and expelled diplomats and citizens of the emirate from the country. Finally, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry outlined the claims in more detail - Doha’s financing and support of terrorist organizations banned in Russia, etc.
According to Reva Gujon, deputy director of the global analysis program at an American think tank, the cause of the conflict between the Gulf countries is directly related to the visit to Saudi Arabia on May 20-21.
Trump's Saudi speech outlined the politician's ambitions in the Middle East. In a country where there are many charitable foundations that the media have accused of supporting terrorists, Trump called on Arab countries to unite against the threat of radical Islamist ideology.
“A better future is possible only if you drive out the terrorists and extremists,” Trump urged representatives of 55 Islamic countries gathered at a conference in Riyadh. - Expel them from your countries. Drive them out of your temples. Drive them out of your communities. Banish you from your holy land. Drive them out of this world." In addition, the US President called Iran the main source of instability in the Middle East, which must be contained at all costs.
In anticipation of Trump's visit, The Washington Post, citing sources in the White House, reported that the American president had brought to Saudi Arabia a plan to create an “Arab” defense alliance that would meet the interests of the Sunni monarchies of the Arabian Peninsula and Washington at the same time and would be aimed against Iran and its Shiite factions. allies.
It was this initiative, which has been discussed in various variations in the United States since the 1950s, that became the reason for the escalation of the confrontation, Goudzhon argues in an article for Stratfor dated May 31.
According to the expert, Trump’s aspirations for an “Arab NATO” are “just a mirage in the desert.”
“Even if most Sunni Arab powers fear Iranian expansionism, economic oblivion and coups, their deep geopolitical differences will prevent Saudi Arabia and its American backers from having a quality security alliance,” Goudjon argues.
One of the main fault lines today runs between Saudi Arabia and the UAE, on the one hand, and Qatar, on the other. This became obvious just two days after Trump’s speech in Riyadh. On May 23, the Qatari state news agency Qatar News Agency quoted the country's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Judging by this publication (which was removed from the QNA website a short time later), Al Thani argued that Iran is a serious regional and Islamic power with which it is necessary to establish contacts rather than provoke a conflict.
The Qatari emir called for listening to the opinions of some radical Islamic organizations (including the Palestinian one), since they also represent the Muslim community. In addition, in the same QNA publication, Al Thani said that “differences remain” between the United States and Qatar.
After this, the Qatari Foreign Ministry tweeted a message that official Doha demanded that the ambassadors of Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the UAE leave the country.
The reaction of the Sunni powers was not long in coming. Over the next few hours, the UAE and Saudi Arabia blocked a number of Qatari media outlets on their territory. Among the possible retaliatory actions, the Saudi media cited a US review of the 2003 decision to move the air force base from Saudi Arabia to Qatar - to the Al-Udeid airfield.
Obviously, the severance of diplomatic relations on June 5 became the peak of this information conflict within the Sunni world.
“Qatar, with a small population and a state system centralized around Doha, does not have the internal ethno-religious tensions of its neighbors,” Goudjon explains the reasons for the Saudi-Qatar conflict. “This level of security allows Qatar to take an independent position and not recognize orders from Saudi Arabia or the UAE. The only major player in the regional gas market, Qatar has found a clear path and an ideal energy platform that separates it from neighboring oil heavyweights."
Qatari authorities believe that, despite the size of Saudi Arabia and the economic success of the UAE, these countries have too unbalanced political systems and economies. In addition, the likelihood of a crisis is increased by contradictions within the clan system, the Stratfor expert believes.
The market immediately reacted to the diplomatic scandal in the main oil-producing region of the world. WTI oil rose by 1.08% on Monday, Brent by 1.28%.
Six Arab countries - Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Yemen and Libya - today announced they would sever diplomatic relations with Qatar. It will be followed by a complete cessation of transport links and the expulsion of all Qatari nationals from these countries. Later, Mauritius and the Maldives announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Doha. The reason for such a tough decision is the support of the Qatari authorities for the Islamist movement “Muslim Brotherhood” and ties with Iran, the main enemy of the Sunni countries of the Middle East. At the same time, Saudi Arabia's main ally Washington is trying to distance itself from the Middle East diplomatic scandal.
“Qatar supports numerous terrorist and sectarian groups whose goal is to undermine stability in the region. Among them: “Muslim Brotherhood”, “Islamic State” and “Al-Qaeda” (all three are recognized as terrorist and are banned in Russia.- “Kommersant”). Qatar constantly promotes their messages through its media and facilitates their machinations,” the state-run Saudi news agency SPA reported today. Statements from other countries that boycotted Qatar were shorter, but similar in content. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry accused Doha of a “hostile approach” towards Cairo, and the Bahraini authorities drew attention to media and financial support for terrorists and “groups associated with Iran.” Libya, Yemen and the Maldives also announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Doha .
The response from Qatar, in turn, came through the largest media outlet in the emirate, the Al Jazeera TV channel. It was his informational influence on the Middle East region that caused anger in the countries that initiated the break. “Introduced (against Doha.- “Kommersant”) the measures are unfair and based only on statements and accusations that have no basis in facts,” said the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The diplomats added that they regretted the “coordinated decision” by neighboring countries and promised that it would not affect “normal life” in the emirate.
However, if the Al Jazeera channel was already blocked in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE at the end of May, then the major airline Qatar Airways has yet to face losses. Obviously, after the severance of diplomatic relations, the carrier will have to leave the Saudi market, where it held second place in terms of traffic volume. However, there has been no official comment from Qatar Airways yet. However, UAE-based Etihad said it would reduce flights to Qatar from tomorrow.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE also intend to stop sea and air communications with Qatar. But most importantly, Saudi Arabia plans to close the land border - the country's only connection with the rest of the Arabian Peninsula. Qatari citizens have two weeks left to leave Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE: during this time there will still be messages. As for Qatari diplomats, they should leave the mentioned countries even earlier. For example, Bahrain has set a deadline of 48 hours. No less important is that Qatar will now curtail its military operation in Yemen, where the Qatari military was helping the Saudi coalition.
Washington chose to distance itself from the diplomatic scandal. The reason was probably that an American airbase is based in Qatar, where 10 thousand US military personnel serve and the command headquarters is located. “I think we have witnessed a growing mistrust between (Arabs.- “Kommersant”) countries for some time, and this pushed them to action,” US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said today, commenting on the situation around Qatar. “Of course, we would like the parties to sit down at the negotiating table and resolve the contradictions that have arisen.” Let us recall that at the May summit of Arab countries and the United States in Riyadh, US President Donald Trump called Qatari Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani his friend and described relations between Washington and Doha as “extremely good.”
The boycott was also commented on in Iran, a country with which the Qatari authorities are accused of having ties. “The era of breaking diplomatic ties is over - this is not the way to resolve the crisis. These countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, UAE.- “Kommersant”) there is no other choice but to start a dialogue with neighbors in the region,” Hamid Abu Talebi, deputy head of the political department of the Iranian Presidential Administration, wrote on Twitter.
Director of the National Energy Security Fund Konstantin Simonov on Kommersant FM:“I think that a more realistic explanation of what is happening is Qatar’s attempts to improve relations with Iran, which may be unexpected, on the one hand, but is a fact, because at the recent summit, when Trump came to the Gulf, the Emir of Qatar directly stated that it is necessary to negotiate with Iran. This was an extremely unexpected story; it happened literally not so long ago. Qatar has its own economic interest there - to try to improve relations with Iran.”
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that “the decision of a number of Arab countries to sever diplomatic relations with Qatar is their business, this is a bilateral relationship” in which Moscow does not interfere. At the same time, he emphasized that Russia is “interested in maintaining good relations with everyone.” The Kremlin expressed hope that the situation around Qatar “will not affect the general mood of the countries in the region in the fight against terror.” At the same time, as presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov emphasized, “Russia values its relations with the Persian Gulf region as a whole and with the Gulf countries separately.”
Kirill Krivosheev
Major Arab powers announced a severance of relations with Qatar, accusing it of financing terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of neighboring states.
Eight countries - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Yemen, Egypt, Libya, the Maldives and Mauritius - one after another ended diplomatic relations with Qatar.
Strict measures followed the tour of the American president.
Korrespondent.net figured out why the Gulf countries decided to isolate Qatar and what this would lead to.
What is Qatar accused of?
This is not the first time that Qatar has been criticized for its support of Islamist movements. The UAE is particularly opposed to Doha's ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas, as Abu Dhabi views them as a mortal threat to the Gulf.
Qatar has also supported and is supporting Islamist parties and rebel groups in various conflicts, including Libya and Syria.
He is considered the most aggressive ally of Islamist groups in Syria seeking to topple the regime of Bashar al-Assad. Critics say it is indirectly helping al-Qaeda-linked groups such as Tahrir al-Sham.
Assistance was provided in the form of ransom payments for the release of hostages.
Regionally, Doha has forged closer ties with Turkey, which has similar principles in supporting Islamist groups in Syria. A Turkish military base has opened in Qatar.
Qatar acknowledges that its position on political Islam differs from that of its neighboring states and notes that it supports organizations that are widely popular among the masses.
Qatar denies supporting armed terrorist groups.
The last straw for its disgruntled neighbors was the $1 billion ransom that Doha paid to the Iranians and jihadists for the release of members of the royal family kidnapped during a hunt.
According to the Financial Times, about 400 million euros ended up in Iran, 300 million were to be received through Hezbollah by Iraqi militants, and the rest by the Syrian group Tahrir al-Sham, associated with al-Qaeda.
The countries of the region considered this story a cover for financing terrorists and a betrayal of the pan-Sunni cause.
In addition, observers note that the reason for the sudden isolation of Qatar could be the discontent of Saudi Arabia.
Riyadh claims leadership in the region, but wealthy Qatar has an independent policy and wants to mediate in numerous conflicts in the Gulf.
Doha also maintained ties with Iran and was the only Sunni country to congratulate Hassan Rouhani on his recent re-election as president.
How the Gulf countries responded
On June 5, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia were the first to announce the severance of diplomatic relations with Qatar.
Bahrain announced attempts to interfere in domestic politics, destabilize the situation in the region and finance Iranian-backed terrorist groups.
The country announced the cessation of sea and air communications and the expulsion of all diplomats. In addition, Bahrain will expel all Qatari citizens in the next 14 days and ban its citizens from visiting the country.
Saudi Arabia took the same measures, explaining its decision as protection against terrorism and extremism.
Yemen and Libya, also suffering from civil war, joined the demarche.
The United Arab Emirates cited Qatar as destabilizing the region and creating security threats.
Egypt has directly accused Qatar of financing and supporting the Islamic State, al-Qaeda and the Muslim Brotherhood.
Mauritius and the Maldives also joined the blockade.
The scandal in the Persian Gulf broke out two days after Donald Trump's visit.
Last month, the Qatari state news agency published a statement purportedly made by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, in which he expressed support for the Muslim Brotherhood and offered peace to Iran.
Doha claims that the agency was then subjected to a hacker attack. But Saudi Arabia and the UAE did not believe Qatar's words.
Soon, countries in the region banned the broadcast of Qatari media. It should be noted that the Al-Jazeera channel is used by Qatar to undermine the influence of Saudi Arabia.
Worsening after Trump's visit
The intensification of the conflict between the US's Middle Eastern allies, which began in 2014, occurred immediately after President Donald Trump's visit to Saudi Arabia.
During this visit, he reaffirmed Riyadh's leadership role in combating Iranian interference in the Arab world.
Trump's tour was designed to unite American allies in countering Iranian influence and in the fight against radical Sunni groups.
Speaking to the heads of 55 Muslim states invited by the host party, Trump called for special attention to be paid to the problem of financing terrorism and extremism.
Trump in Saudi Arabia / EPA
Thus allowing the Gulf countries to isolate their independent neighbor.
Qatar produces oil and gas in the north of its territories together with Iran. Doha prides itself on its neutral status and hosts officials from organizations that many other states consider terrorist.
But Qatar's critics say neutral mediation has gradually turned into support for groups that actively act against the interests of the Sunni Gulf states.
Some observers note that America has no intention of excluding Qatar from the list of allies - the Al-Udeid airbase, owned by the US Regional Central Command, remains, as well as the largest investment of any country.
However, on June 6, Trump supported the isolation of Qatar. Traditionally, on Twitter, he first commented on the demarches of the Persian Gulf countries.
"During my recent trip to the Middle East, I stated that there can be no more funding for radical ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar - look!" Trump wrote.
He also noted that Qatar's isolation could mark the beginning of the end of the "horror of terrorism."
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)
