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Qatar: Arab rift is a ‘publicity stunt’

June 19, 2017 at 10:23 am

Foreign Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani [Sefa Karacan/Anadolu Agency, File photo]

The actions Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt are taking against Qatar are a “publicity stunt” aimed solely at attacking its image and reputation, a senior Qatari official said in a statement today.

As the boycott of the Gulf state enters its third week, Sheikh Saif Bin Ahmed Al-Thani, director of Qatar’s Government Communications Office, said: “The blockade has been ongoing for two weeks and the blockading nations have offered no formula for resolving the crisis.”

It is unfortunate that our neighbours have chosen to invest their time and resources in a baseless propaganda campaign… The blockading nations are using terrorism as a publicity stunt.

The four countries accuse Qatar of fomenting instability in the Middle East, funding terrorism and cosying up to Iran, Saudi’s arch rival in the region. Accusations Qatar denies.