German FM tours Gulf in effort to end rift

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel yesterday started a three-day tour of the Gulf as part of international efforts to find a solution for the Gulf crisis, German mass media reported.

The top German diplomat started his tour in Saudi Arabia and met with his Saudi counterpart Adel Al-Jubeir in the coastal city of Jeddah.

In a press conference after the meeting, he said the “best solution to the Qatari crisis would be to fight terrorist financing together.”

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“We all know that [this support] is not organised by states, but often by private persons,” he added. “But we must somehow succeed in ending support in the region for extremist and terrorist organisations.”

He also called for the Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Qatar is a member, to remain strong and “united”, noting that the Gulf rift does not affect the region, but affects “our interests”.

Gabriel left Saudi Arabia and travelled to the United Arab Emirates where he will begin talks today.

He is expected to head to Qatar later today and then make a final stop in Kuwait tomorrow.

Before leaving Germany, Gabriel told journalists that he would remain “objective”.