HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani Rejects Violation of Qatar's Sovereignty

Doha, June 13 (QNA) - Former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of the State of Qatar HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said that the accusations made by some Gulf countries to the State of Qatar "Have no solid base", stressing the refusal of his country to prejudice its sovereignty or questioning its integrity. In an interview with the Charlie Rose show on BBS, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani demanded the countries that isolated, and cut off relations with the State of Qatar, to provide evidence on their allegations about financing terrorism. HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim pointed out that the claim of these countries by publishing a list of so-called terrorism was not shared with the State of Qatar at an early stage through the right channels. HE Former Prime Minister of Qatar also demanded that the international law should tackle the violations made by the countries that have isolated Qatar asking:" Where is the International Law" He added that these countries have cut the food supplies, ripped families and closed airspaces and the sea routes. He also expressed his surprise at the position taken by the isolating countries, which came shortly after the participation of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani in the Riyadh Summits. HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani discussed the reasons behind Qatar's isolation saying that there are allegations of special relations with Iran and funding terrorism. In terms of trade, Qatar's commercial dealings with Tehran are only too small compared to other Gulf state trade with Iran, he explained. HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said that Qatar disagrees with Iran regarding the Syrian war and its position from Bashar Al Assad, pointing to Qatar's normal relations with Iran. "We are neighbors and we share a gas field," he explained adding "Do we have a special relations with Iran against our GCC allies and brothers That is of course completely falls". HE the Former Premier also asked, whether the isolating countries have cut off their relations with Iran or even proposed this in the GCC. On the allegation of supporting terrorism, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor AL-Thani said that After the September 11 attack, Qatar has been a partner to the US in the fight against terrorism, adding that US troops came to Qatar before building the American base, and Qatar has facilitated their arrival, after the threats made by Osama bin Laden and his remarks that no Islamic state should host US troops. Ever since, Qatar became a partner to the US which is fighting in Afghanistan, Iraq, Yemen and other places. "We have fully secured these forces and hosted them all those years, and we were caught by surprise being accused of supporting terrorism. Which terrorism are we supporting" he asked. In response to the allegation on Qatar's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said that "the Muslim Brotherhood is a name to many groups, some of whom represent the people in parliaments of some countries, and some are those who pursue violence which we do not agreed with. He stressed for need to differentiate between these groups. HE said that the State of Qatar dealt with Muslim Brotherhood when they were elected by the Egyptian people, and when the military toppled them, the state of Qatar was the first to support the Government of President Abd El-Fattah El-Sisi, because it is an internal Egyptian affair. He added that the Tunisian revolution brought an Islamist government, which was replaced after elections with another government. However, the State of Qatar dealt with the new government and helped it provided that government with financial support, although it does not belong to the Muslim Brotherhood, he explained emphasizing that Qatar supports any country that asks for assistance. On Syria, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor AL-Thani said " In Syria everybody made mistakes, including the US .. As time passed we discovered that some groups have other agendas and we stopped dealing with them one after another." He stressed that these mistakes were not intentional pointing that the terrorist organizations "If they are finished with Syria, they will come to us". HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani, Qatar's Former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, said that the measures taken by some Gulf countries against Qatar came on basis of Qatar's support for Gaza Strip, pointing out that some viewed this support as "a mistake". On the impact of these measures taken against the State of Qatar, he expressed his pride of the Qatari people for supporting HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, stressing that Qatari people realized that HH the Emir is sincere and has tried to build special relationships with his brothers in the GCC countries. He pointed that the majority of Gulf citizens did not support such measures. Pointing to the statute governing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), HE the Former Prime Minister asked whether the council had convened and made any accusations against Qatar. He also asked whether the GCC Secretary-General had issued any statement about this situation, concluding to the result that the GCC might not be reliable in the future If Saudi Arabia disagrees with any country, they will do what they want without referring to the GCC," he said adding that he respects King Salman and Saudi Arabia, but this position has changed many things for the members of the Gulf Cooperation Council. Asked whether Saudi Arabia was behind the decision, he said that Saudi Arabia and the UAE have announced the implementation of these measures, expressing belief that taking this step is not only a dispute. On the position of the United States of America and its mediation to resolve this crisis, he said "I think any mediator should look to the matter from both sides equally until having the right evidence .. No doubt that at the end United States will do the right thing because it has institutions that will look into the matter and will realize that we have been taken on incorrect assumptions." On Qatar's Support for Iran, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said "This is a big joke," stressing that there is not a single incident where the State of Qatar was supporting Iran. He added that the Qatar has normal relations with Tehran. referring to the war in Syria, he stressed that Doha's relations with Tehran are not very strong. He stressed the State of Qatar's readiness of the to hold an open dialogue if the problem is related to Iran, "But this is not the solution," he said. He pointed that the core of the issue is that some countries in the region that want to dictate their policy to others, stressing that this is unacceptable to the State of Qatar, which is an independent sovereign state that has the right to pursue its own policy. Regarding the Kuwaiti mediation, HE the Former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said that HH Emir of the State of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is making mediation efforts, adding that the Emir of Kuwait is respected by all GCC member states. He added that the two mediators, US and Kuwait, will eventually come to the conclusion that all the allegations against Qatar are baseless. On how to get out of this crisis, HE Former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani, said that the first step is to activate the role of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). He added that the United States of America, as an ally of all parties, should stand at the same distance from everyone. "If there is any problem, the Qataris will correct it without hesitation," he stressed. With regard to Qatar's Support for Hamas, He said everyone knows that Qatar helps in providing electricity in Gaza Strip and has also reconstructed some houses, hospitals and some other buildings that were destroyed by Israeli forces in 2005. Everyone valued these efforts, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said adding that the GCC countries pledged to provide funds to Gaza Strip in the same year. He pointed out that the US government asked the State of Qatar to encourage Hamas to take part in the Palestinian elections. On the presence of some members of the Taliban movement in the State of Qatar, he said that there are five Taliban movement members in Qatar at the request of the US. HE Former Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al-Thani said that there has not been any disruption in the Qatari-US relations before the Gulf crisis. He expressed confidence that Washington will deal with the Gulf matter fairly when the truth is clear. (QNA)