clear

Creating new perspectives since 2009

Turkey rejects Saudi demand to shut military base in Qatar

June 23, 2017 at 2:59 pm

Turkey has rejected a demand from Arab countries to shut its military base in Qatar.

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain, who have imposed a blockade on Qatar, insisted the Turkish base be closed in a list of demands issued to Qatar yesterday which Doha had to meet before the blockade would be lifted.

Turkish Defence Minister, Fikri Isik, rejected the demand and was reported by Reuters as telling broadcaster NTV Ankara that it had no plans to review a 2014 agreement with Qatar which allowed the installation of the base.

#QatarGate

The Arab countries warned Qatar that it had ten days to meet the conditions or else they would be considered void. They have also insisted on imposing a monitoring mechanism which would report regularly on Qatar’s compliance with the demands.

Isik questioned the validity of the demands saying: “If there is such a demand it will mean interference in bilateral ties.” His comments, according to Reuters, suggested that Turkey might continue to bolster its presence in Qatar.

Read: Saudi gives Qatar 10 days to meet demands or face consequences

Reuters confirmed Turkish reports that five armoured vehicles and 23 military personnel arrived in Doha yesterday in a deployment Turkey’s armed forces said was part of a military training and cooperation deal. Some 88 Turkish soldiers were already in Qatar.

Turkish sources also said a joint exercise by Turkish and Qatari forces was expected following the Islamic Eid Al-Fitr holiday which starts on Sunday, and the number of Turkish soldiers sent to the Gulf state could eventually reach 1,000, Reuters confirmed. An air force contingent was also envisaged.

“The strengthening of the Turkish base would be a positive step in terms of the Gulf’s security,” Isik went on to say before adding that “re-evaluating the base agreement with Qatar is not on our agenda.”