Former Sudanese PM calls for Gulf meeting without preconditions to solve crisis

The Head of Sudan’s National Ummah Party, Sadiq Al-Mahdi, has called for a fair solution to be found for the Gulf crisis through a meeting without preconditions, Quds Press has reported. The former prime minister said that the proposed conditions for reconciliation are of a kind imposed by a winner on a loser. Only a party which has nothing left to lose would accept them as they are, he added.

“Bias does not serve the [Arab] nation’s interests,” explained Al-Mahdi. “It fuels the situation till it becomes chaotic. Staying neutral means neglecting the duty to put an end to this disorder, but what is correct is to believe that there is an opportunity within each crisis.” He called on all parties to recognise a set of principles, on top of which is that Saudi Arabia and Egypt are like two close sisters and should be respected.

“The State of Qatar,” the Sudanese politician pointed out, “has an important, positive role in many areas, including the peace efforts in Lebanon and Darfur, the peace talks with the Taliban, the breaking of the siege imposed on Gaza and many Arab and international initiatives.” Encouraging these roles is part of the [Arab] nation’s interest, he insisted. “Qatar has also financial and moral conditions that enable it to make influential inut. It could even open the doors to supporting regional and international actors.”

Al-Mahdi called for a unified position against terrorism, but only after defining the true meaning of terrorism, which does not include legitimate liberation movements. He believes that Kuwait is a country qualified to mediate which can ask for help from other countries, such as Oman, for a meeting between the conflicting parties without preconditions. “The meeting will aim to restore Gulf solidarity, within Arab and Islamic solidarity, and recognise the freedom of movement of member countries in constructive areas.”

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The ex-prime minister pointed out that he intends to operate through the World Forum of Mediation to form a platform in order to discuss these issues, and to contribute in addressing public opinion in the conflicting countries, the Arab and Islamic world and internationally. He is the honorary chairman of the mediation group, which is based in Jordan and seeks to spread the concepts of mediation, moderation and the fight against the ideologies of extremists and terrorists.

#QatarGate

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt announced on 5 June that they had cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar and closed their air and sea ports to Qatari vessels, thus imposing a siege on the state, which they accused of “supporting terrorism”, something that Qatar has denied.