Qatar: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Call for Applying Same Principles and Standards to All International Issues

DOHA, QATARHE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani underlined that the State of Qatar has a long record of dialogue and diplomacy in several areas of conflict, including Sudan and Lebanon, and between Djibouti and Eritrea, stressing that dialogue is the only way forward and the only way to end any potential crisis or conflict.

 

Speaking at the opening session of Doha Forum 2022 which kicked off on Saturday, HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs highlighted Qatar’s commitment to the international principles and international law, which represent the basis for all its stances with all political crises, affirming that the State of Qatar is against assaulting the sovereignty of any country, interfering in its internal affairs, or using force against it, “Qatar is against any use of force against civilians,” he stressed.

HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani noted the importance to deal with all international issues on an equal footing, especially with regard to humanitarian crises. “In Ukraine, we know that there are concerns between the two parties, and these concerns must be addressed diplomatically. This also applies to the Palestinian issue and the Israeli occupation, and we want to see the same results. Our standards have always been unified and consistent to a large extent despite all the pressures, and we must abide by these principles. We also urge all countries in the international community to work to protect and apply these principles on an equal footing,” His Excellency added.

He reiterated that dialogue is the right way to end any crisis. “We have never seen a war that ended on the battlefield. The solution to any crisis is always around the dialogue table through diplomatic talks and agreement between the two parties, and this is the only way. Therefore, we believe that in light of the current crisis in Ukraine, we must provide solutions in the short, medium and long term in order to preserve the world order.”

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs added that the suffering seen in Ukraine was similar to the suffering of many countries in the region for years, however, nothing have happened and there was no global response to this suffering. “We were praying for a precedent in the region in response to the brutality against the Palestinian, Syrian, Iraqi, Libyan or Afghan people.

He indicated that the absence of a global response to these actions and the lack of accountability of the people responsible for violence will lead to more violence, expressing his hope that the war of Ukraine would serve as a wake-up call for the international community to look at “our region” and deal with the issues that emerge in it on the same level of commitment that have been seen in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, and that this crisis is dealt with in a diplomatic manner that leads to an end to the conflict and human suffering.

HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed the importance to maintain the world order and international legality and preserve the Charter of the United Nations and the principles of international law, “because we are already a small country protected by these multilateral measures, as well as all other countries.”

“Some claim that we are a small country that aspires to more than it can achieve, this is not the issue. Rather, it is the issue of stability of the region and ensuring peace in it if we are able to play a role for more stability and peace in the region and for the maintenance of international peace and security, which is in our direct national interest. Therefore, it is important for us to be a platform for diplomacy and dialogue, and to contribute to enhancing security and stability in the region. We cannot be isolated from what is happening in the rest of the world, rather we must play an active role in order to make a positive contribution to achieving international stability,” HE Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said.

Regarding the current situation with Iran and whether there is an imminent peace agreement with it, HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani underlined the importance of maintaining stability in the region, and that there be an agreement on the nuclear issue in Iran, stressing the need for this step to be followed by other regional steps in order to deal with the security repercussions.

His Excellency believed that the only way to ensure international security is the same way the State of Qatar views all disputes, which is to deal with them diplomatically, because it is the best way to deal with the elements of concern for each party separately.

He added that the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) is an important agreement at least to ensure that there is no nuclear arms race taking place in the region, noting the need to supplement this agreement with interaction and participation in the Gulf region with Iran so that they have a comprehensive approach.

Meanwhile, HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani underlined the world is based on interconnection and interdependence, therefore no country can be isolated or unaffected by international crises. Climate change is a global problem that will affect all, whether large or small countries.

“What the international community is doing today in order to anticipate the consequences of this crisis is a ‘late answer’, but we must work collectively to confront this phenomenon,” he said.

His Excellency gave another example, which is the coronavirus pandemic which harmed the whole world and had and still has consequences and repercussions on everyone, noting that the inequality in taking the vaccine and treating patients means that the pandemic will last for a long time.

HE Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani added that geopolitical crises in the world have an impact on neighboring countries and on the whole world. Any conflict will increase refugee crises, and any human disaster will has cascading effects on the supply chain, as is currently happening in the crisis of Ukraine and Russia, which represent the global food basket in wheat, corn and other foodstuffs, not to mention its clear impact on the energy market.