Moscow on Saturday called for dialogue between Qatar and its neighbours in the Gulf, promising help in mediating the crisis, as Russia’s foreign minister met his Qatari counterpart.
Sergey Lavrov met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, in the Russian capital.
The report came as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and other nations in the region moved to cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar this week. It’s the worst diplomatic crisis to hit Gulf Arab states in decades.
“We call for all contradictions to be resolved at the negotiation table through a mutually respectful dialogue,” Lavrov said during the meeting with his Qatari counterpart.
The top Russian diplomat said Moscow was saddened by a decision by some members of the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council to cut their diplomatic ties with Qatar, adding that it was in Russia’s interest to see the countries of the region united in the fight against terrorism.
“As a matter of policy we do not interfere in the internal affairs of other countries or their bilateral relations with each other. But it does not give us joy when relations between our partners deteriorate,” said Lavrov.
Qatar is reaching out for support abroad as it has fallen out with its Arab neighbours, who accuse it of sponsoring extremist groups and resent its ties to the Muslim Brotherhood movement and sponsorship of Al-Jazeera network.
Lavrov said that Russia is “ready to try to do everything in its power” to help resolve the crisis and said unity is needed to fight terrorism.
“For us, unity is clearly necessary for maximum effect on this front (against terrorism),” he said.
Qatar has denounced the allegations against it and Al-Thani during his meeting with Lavrov called the measures against the country “illegal”.
