Qatar’s foreign minister calls on UK to condemn Gulf ‘illegal air blockade’

Qatar’s foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani called on the UK to condemn the blockade imposed on the Gulf state, after landing in London on Monday.

Qatar’s foreign minister arrived in London on Monday, calling on the British government to condemn the illegal air blockade recently imposed on the Gulf state, after a diplomatic dispute escalated when Saudi Arabia and its allies severed ties with Doha last week.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, who landed in the capital to meet with his British counterpart Boris Johnson, said “we are asking Britain, the US and all other countries to condemn the illegal measures such as the air blockade and the break-up of families. Families and kids are begin torn apart”.

Unlike US President Donald Trump, Downing Street has said little on the developing events across the GCC region, despite escalations leading to an air, land and sea blockade, in what is seen to be the most serious crisis to hit the Gulf states in recent years.

“We are not asking any country including the UK to take sides, but we are asking them to recognise this air blockade is illegal in international law,” added Doha’s foreign minister.

Last week, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Egypt and Yemen, were among the nations that severed ties with Qatar claiming Doha supported “terrorism”.

Qatar slammed the claims, suggesting the decision to cut diplomatic ties was pre-meditated and based on “fabricated lies”.

Despite this, Doha assured its readiness to hold dialogues with the conflicting states, adding it is prepared to listen to their concerns.

However, al-Thani confirmed several mediation efforts have failed to produce results.

“There is still no clarity yet in what they actually want,” he said, referring to the anti-Qatar alliance in the region.

“We still do not why they have taken these actions and isolated Qatar. It looks as if it is the same reason as before – a dislike of our policy towards Egypt – but no one has the right to impose a foreign policy on a sovereign state.”