DOHA: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani stressed that the results of the ministerial preparatory meeting for the eighth meeting of the Qatari-Turkish Supreme Strategic Committee were constructive, expressing his thanks to the teams of the two countries’ ministries of foreign affairs.
During a joint press conference with Foreign Minister HE Mevlut Cavusoglu today in Istanbul, His Excellency said that the two sides agreed to continue strengthening bilateral relations, particularly in the areas of economics, investment and trade, in addition to strengthening cultural relations and ties. between the two peoples.
He said the talks provided an opportunity to hold political consultations on various issues, and that there is full consensus in views between Qatar and Turkey on various issues, noting that the two sides discussed the evolution of the Palestinian question, which is the central question. for both countries, and they also referred to the Algiers Declaration that was signed between the Palestinian factions. The State of Qatar once again welcomed this announcement and hoped that these positive steps would help end the state of division that greatly affected the Palestinian cause.
His Excellency expressed Qatar’s condemnation of the Israeli escalation that occurs daily, the violations in the various regions of the West Bank and the repeated incursions into the Al Aqsa Mosque.
Regarding the development of the Russian-Ukrainian crisis, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs praised the role played by the Republic of Turkey and its diplomacy in contributing to the stability of food markets, in particular grain markets, noting in this context the Istanbul Agreement signed several months ago and expressing Qatar’s support for Turkish diplomatic efforts.
His Excellency reiterated Qatar’s firm stance regarding the crisis in terms of rejecting the violation of countries’ sovereignty, and Ukraine’s sovereignty in this regard in particular, underscoring Qatar’s support for diplomatic efforts aimed at end the war peacefully and diplomatically as quickly as possible.
He added that the discussions also covered developments in Syria, Libya, Afghanistan and Iraq. His Excellency said Qatar supports the work of the UN envoy to Syria and wants to see real progress from the Syrian regime’s delegations to the constitutional committee. His Excellency also said that Qatar supports a political resolution that puts an end to the suffering of the Syrian people as soon as possible. His Excellency also said that Qatar’s position was firm regarding the unity of the Libyan land, ending the division as soon as possible, ensuring stability and organizing elections in accordance with constitutional and legal rules that would be agreed.
With regard to Afghanistan, His Excellency expressed Qatar’s thanks to Turkey for supporting Qatar’s efforts to establish stability in Afghanistan and end the suffering of the Afghan people by providing humanitarian aid, as well as ‘working with the current government to end actions that harm certain groups of the Afghan people.
His Excellency said the talks also covered recent developments in Iraq.
His Excellency concluded his statement by thanking Turkey for its support to the State of Qatar regarding the hosting of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. His Excellency added that there is continued cooperation between all parties in Qatar and Turkey to make this tournament a success, as Qatar looks to host the world in less than a month. As Qatar promised twelve years ago, the FIFA World Cup in Qatar will be among the best tournaments in history.
In response to questions from journalists, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs said that the meeting between His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and HE the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin on the sidelines of the sixth summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA) addressed several regional and bilateral issues. His Excellency underlined Qatar’s clear position vis-à-vis the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian crisis, stressing that this crisis has several repercussions on the energy markets and that Qatar is a major player in these international markets. His Excellency also noted the impact of the crisis on international food security and its repercussions on the entire international system.
His Excellency added that the meeting extensively dealt with several other regional and international issues that Qatar does not want to see affected by the current escalation between Russia and Ukraine, such as the Iranian nuclear issue, the Syrian issue and the efforts in Libya. In this regard, His Excellency stressed the importance of dialogue and opening communication channels between all parties to end this escalation. His Excellency underscored Qatar’s firm position to respect the sovereignty of countries and adhere to the United Nations Charter and the indivisible principles of international law.
His Excellency added that what applies to Ukraine also applies to other issues, be it Palestine and the end of Israeli occupation or any other country. He said that the positions of Qatar and Turkey on the various issues discussed on Friday are in harmony, indicating that Turkey finds all the necessary support in its efforts to find a solution to the Russian-Ukrainian crisis and its repercussions.
His Excellency explained that there is no interference or initiative from Qatar to end this crisis and that Qatar is always ready to support international efforts that contribute to resolving this crisis, and Qatar is in continuous communication with the brothers in Turkey and will provide Turkey with all necessary support to make these efforts a success.
Republic of Turkey Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said the talks were about bilateral relations. His Excellency stressed that the trade relations between the two countries are steadily growing and the volume of trade is increasing rapidly, expressing Turkey’s appreciation for Qatar’s efforts to alleviate the energy crisis.
