Qatar FM heads to Russia

Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani will visit Moscow tomorrow amid a diplomatic row among Gulf states, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported yesterday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that President Vladimir Putin is not expected to receive Al-Thani.

On Monday, five Arab countries – Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Yemen – cut ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.

Mauritania, the Maldives, Mauritius and Senegal followed suit, while Jordan has downgraded its diplomatic relations with Doha.

Qatar denied the accusations, calling the move “unjustified”.

Following the row, Moscow said it will continue to maintain “good” ties with the Arabian Gulf states and expects the situation to defuse in a “peaceful” atmosphere.