Germany urges 'serious dialogue' to resolve Qatar crisis

BERLIN: German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel, who on Monday starts a tour of several Arab states, called for a "serious dialogue" to end the crisis following the de facto blockade of Qatar by its neighbours.
"Since many weeks, the brotherly countries and neighbours of the Arabian peninsula have been locked in a conflict that has fuelled concern," Gabriel said in a statement.
"We are worried that the distrust and the disunity could weaken all the parties concerned as well as the entire peninsula," said Gabriel, who will visit Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar.
Gabriel called for a "serious dialogue between the parties" to resolve the crisis, adding that while Berlin was "not taking sides, the conflict... affects both us and our interests."
"This is true of the fight against the Islamic State but also for the stability of a region that has been particularly marked by crises, tensions and war."
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt announced on June 5 they were severing ties with their Gulf neighbour, sparking the worst diplomatic crisis to hit the region in decades.
They accused Doha of supporting extremism and of being too close to regional arch-rival Iran, which Qatar has strongly denied.
The crisis has raised concerns of growing instability in the region, home to some of the world's largest energy producers and several key Western allies hosting US military facilities.
On June 22 the Arab states presented a list of demands and gave Doha 10 days to comply. The ultimatum is expected to expire at the end of the day on Sunday, though the deadline has not been officially confirmed.
Riyadh's demands include Doha ending support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of Al-Jazeera television, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate. — AFP