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Qatar emir says open to Trump-hosted talks over Gulf crisis - CBS

 

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani is seen during a joint news conference with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the presidential palace in Bogor, West Java province, Indonesia October 18, 2017. REUTERS/Beawiharta

 

DOHA (Reuters) - Qatar's ruler said he is ready for U.S.-hosted direct talks aimed at solving the worst diplomatic crisis in the Gulf in years but has yet to hear a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's invitation to the four Arab states boycotting Doha.

 

Speaking to U.S. broadcaster CBS News, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said he wanted an end to the dispute, which erupted on June 5 and pits Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt against Qatar.

 

"Nothing is going to be above our dignity, our sovereignty. But we want it to end. I always say that," he told the "60 Minutes" programme in an interview aired on Sunday. "If they (are) going to walk one metre towards me, I'm willing to walk 10,000 miles towards them," he said.

 

The four countries have cut diplomatic, transport and trade ties with Qatar, the world's top seller of liquefied natural gas, accusing it of financing terrorism. Doha denies the charges.

 

The dispute has hit travel and food imports and ratcheted up tensions in a wealthy region which plays a leading role in global energy markets as well as events across the wider Middle East.

 

Qatar hosts Al Udeid air base, the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East.

 

Sheikh Tamim said Trump had told him "I will not accept my friends fighting amongst themselves," and that in talks on the sidelines of a United Nations' meeting in September he had made an offer to host talks in the United States.

 

"I told him straightaway, 'Mr President, we are very ready. I've been asking for dialogue from day one," Sheikh Tamim said, adding that the meeting was supposed to happen very soon and that he had not heard a response from the other countries.

 

Trump, who has said he would be willing to mediate in the dispute, said in September he had a "very strong feeling" it would be solved "pretty quickly".

 

Earlier in September, Saudi Arabia suspended any dialogue with Qatar, accusing it of "distorting facts," just after a report of a phone call between the leaders of the two countries suggested a possible breakthrough in the dispute.

 

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone with Qatar's emir on Sept. 8 in the first publicly reported contact between the two leaders since the crisis began.

 

There has been no further contact reported since then.

 

In the CBS interview, Sheikh Tamim reiterated that Qatar would not close down the Doha-based Al Jazeera television network, as demanded by the four countries who accuse the broadcaster of bias and interfering in their affairs.

 

Al Jazeera says it is an independent news service giving a voice to everyone in the region.

 

Sheikh Tamim also said he feared for the region if any military actions were taken as part of the crisis.

 

"I'm fearful that if anything happens, if any military act happens, this region will be in chaos," he said.

 

(Reporting by Eric Knecht; Editing by Adrian Croft)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters

[Baerboxer]

 

Perhaps The Donald could run it like an episode of "the Apprentice" and we could all watch on "reality (haha)" TV?

 

"Do you agree the compromise I propose? No, you're fired!"

[champers]

I think this would be delegated to Rex Tillerson. A blessing or a curse?

[Morch]

Seem to recall some esteemed members of this forum opining that the Emir would not accept negotiations, will not bend, will not whatever. And that the blockade, sanctions are not effective and do not pose much of an issue for Qatar. Or that the USA's role in Gulf politics was over and done with. 

 

Luckily, the Emir isn't as daft or unrealistic. Hopefully things could be sorted, with enough face saved all around. At least until the next round.

[ilostmypassword]

Just now, Morch said:

Seem to recall some esteemed members of this forum opining that the Emir would not accept negotiations, will not bend, will not whatever. And that the blockade, sanctions are not effective and do not pose much of an issue for Qatar. Or that the USA's role in Gulf politics was over and done with. 

 

Luckily, the Emir isn't as daft or unrealistic. Hopefully things could be sorted, with enough face saved all around. At least until the next round.

I seem to recall some members saying that Qatar would submit within a month or so to Saudi demands. Given that the US is now backing Qatar in this dispute, I reckon that this is a way that the Qataris are offering for the Saudis to save face.

[Morch]

19 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

I seem to recall some members saying that Qatar would submit within a month or so to Saudi demands. Given that the US is now backing Qatar in this dispute, I reckon that this is a way that the Qataris are offering for the Saudis to save face.

 

A time frame of "a month or so"? Doesn't ring a bell, sorry. If anything, it was asserted this would drag on quite a bit, but not indefinitely.

 

That "the US is now backing Qatar" may be your opinion, but not demonstrated in the OP. The USA, as much as it can be said to have a coherent foreign policy these days, is mainly interested in parties not poking each other's eye and playing along nicely. Such a position would require a certain give and take by all parties involved, rather than be decided in favor of one of them.

[ilostmypassword]

12 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

A time frame of "a month or so"? Doesn't ring a bell, sorry. If anything, it was asserted this would drag on quite a bit, but not indefinitely.

 

That "the US is now backing Qatar" may be your opinion, but not demonstrated in the OP. The USA, as much as it can be said to have a coherent foreign policy these days, is mainly interested in parties not poking each other's eye and playing along nicely. Such a position would require a certain give and take by all parties involved, rather than be decided in favor of one of them.

Maybe but not demonstrated in the OP but in the wider world...

Tillerson Faults Saudi-Led Bloc for Failing to End Qatar Crisis

 

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has little hope that a Saudi Arabia-led bloc’s standoff with Qatar will end anytime soon, blaming the four countries lined up against the emirate for a lack of progress and casting doubts on U.S. efforts to mediate the crisis.

 

“There seems to be a real unwillingness on the part of some of the parties to want to engage,” Tillerson said in an interview Thursday in Washington. “It’s up to the leadership of the quartet when they want to engage with Qatar because Qatar has been very clear -- they’re ready to engage.”

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-19/tillerson-faults-saudi-led-bloc-for-failing-to-end-qatar-crisis-j8yqqibp

 

Seems more like Qatar is just taking an easy shot at Saudi Arabia given that the boy blunderer et alii have shown no willingness to engage.

 

[Morch]

10 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

Maybe but not demonstrated in the OP but in the wider world...

Tillerson Faults Saudi-Led Bloc for Failing to End Qatar Crisis

 

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has little hope that a Saudi Arabia-led bloc’s standoff with Qatar will end anytime soon, blaming the four countries lined up against the emirate for a lack of progress and casting doubts on U.S. efforts to mediate the crisis.

 

“There seems to be a real unwillingness on the part of some of the parties to want to engage,” Tillerson said in an interview Thursday in Washington. “It’s up to the leadership of the quartet when they want to engage with Qatar because Qatar has been very clear -- they’re ready to engage.”

 

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-10-19/tillerson-faults-saudi-led-bloc-for-failing-to-end-qatar-crisis-j8yqqibp

 

Seems more like Qatar is just taking an easy shot at Saudi Arabia given that the boy blunderer et alii have shown no willingness to engage.

 

 

Well, no. The USA does not take Qatar's side, but is dissatisfied with the Saudi-led alliance for not playing along. Not quite the same thing. The USA goal is sorting things out, rather than taking sides. Any solution will involve parties making certain concessions (some of which will not be made public), and deceleration aimed at saving as much face as possible all around.

 

Both sides are playing the diplomatic game, with fake overtures, statements and finger pointing. Nothing new about that. And the insistence on using inane monikers doesn't quite make a point.

Edited October 30, 2017 by Morch

[ilostmypassword]

1 minute ago, Morch said:

 

Well, no. The USA does not take Qatar's side, but is dissatisfied with the Saudi-led alliance for not playing along. Not quite the same thing. The USA goal is sorting things out, rather than taking sides. Any solution will involve parties making certain concessions (some of which will not be made public), and deceleration aimed at saving as much face as possible all around.

But it does cast doubt on this analysis:

"Seem to recall some esteemed members of this forum opining that the Emir would not accept negotiations, will not bend, will not whatever. And that the blockade, sanctions are not effective and do not pose much of an issue for Qatar. Or that the USA's role in Gulf politics was over and done with.  
Luckily, the Emir isn't as daft or unrealistic. Hopefully things could be sorted, with enough face saved all around. At least until the next round."

 

[Morch]

3 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

But it does cast doubt on this analysis:

"Seem to recall some esteemed members of this forum opining that the Emir would not accept negotiations, will not bend, will not whatever. And that the blockade, sanctions are not effective and do not pose much of an issue for Qatar. Or that the USA's role in Gulf politics was over and done with.  
Luckily, the Emir isn't as daft or unrealistic. Hopefully things could be sorted, with enough face saved all around. At least until the next round."

 

 

No, it doesn't.

[ilostmypassword]

7 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

No, it doesn't.

 

Really? Tillerson places the onus on the Saudis and friends for not negotiating. Qatar plays being sweetly reasonable.  That's not a plausible scenario?

[Morch]

6 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

 

Really? Tillerson places the onus on the Saudis and friends for not negotiating. Qatar plays being sweetly reasonable.  That's not a plausible scenario?

 

That doesn't have much to do with what I posted, though, nor does it contradict it in any meaningful way.

[ilostmypassword]

1 minute ago, Morch said:

 

That doesn't have much to do with what I posted, though, nor does it contradict it in any meaningful way.

You've got be kidding right? You weren't saying that Qatar is bending because of economic pressure brought on by the blockade?

So what is this saying?: "Seem to recall some esteemed members of this forum opining that the Emir would not accept negotiations, will not bend, will not whatever. And that the blockade, sanctions are not effective and do not pose much of an issue for Qatar."

And as for economic pressure, as time goes by, the effectiveness of those sanctions can actually lessen:

Here's the conclusion of a quite detailed article that shows how Qatar can and has adapted to the loss of imports from the boycotting states:

"Over the last five years, Qatar has imported an average of $69 million worth of goods from Iran.[58] The 2017 Diplomatic Crisis creates opportunity for Iran and other regional states to replace the Saudi coalition states as Qatar’s supplier. Likewise, other states such as Turkey, Oman, and China can benefit from this predicament by building a stronger economic relationship with Qatar."

https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2017/10/27/qatar-iran-economic-relations-will-improve-contrary-to-saudi-arabias-intent/

[Morch]

1 hour ago, ilostmypassword said:

You've got be kidding right? You weren't saying that Qatar is bending because of economic pressure brought on by the blockade?

So what is this saying?: "Seem to recall some esteemed members of this forum opining that the Emir would not accept negotiations, will not bend, will not whatever. And that the blockade, sanctions are not effective and do not pose much of an issue for Qatar."

And as for economic pressure, as time goes by, the effectiveness of those sanctions can actually lessen:

Here's the conclusion of a quite detailed article that shows how Qatar can and has adapted to the loss of imports from the boycotting states:

"Over the last five years, Qatar has imported an average of $69 million worth of goods from Iran.[58] The 2017 Diplomatic Crisis creates opportunity for Iran and other regional states to replace the Saudi coalition states as Qatar’s supplier. Likewise, other states such as Turkey, Oman, and China can benefit from this predicament by building a stronger economic relationship with Qatar."

https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2017/10/27/qatar-iran-economic-relations-will-improve-contrary-to-saudi-arabias-intent/

 

Yawn.

 

Anything to wiggle out of owning up strong views posted.

 

And no, I didn't say "Qatar is bending because of economic pressure brought on by the blockade". My view, which was repeated in many a posts on this issue, is that people ought to differentiate between statements made for public consumption, some posters' wishes to co-opt matters in support of their political views, and how things are and will actually be handled.

 

The fact stands that the Emir's position is not nearly as gung-ho as some posters' assume or wish it to be (and the same goes for the Saudi crown prince). The fact stands that the USA remains central to negotiating a path out of this mess. The fact stands that the USA does not support one side over the other. The facts stands that had there been no issues and no problems, the Emir wouldn't make any overtures, contrived or otherwise, toward Saudi Arabia.

 

The link provided does not, unless I missed it, refer to an actual major and permanent shift in Qatar's trade and trading partners but speculates on what might be. Not quite the same thing. And with all due respect, not taking the author to either unbiased or be much of an authority, perhaps in a decade or two.

 

[ilostmypassword]

26 minutes ago, Morch said:

 

Yawn.

 

Anything to wiggle out of owning up strong views posted.

 

And no, I didn't say "Qatar is bending because of economic pressure brought on by the blockade". My view, which was repeated in many a posts on this issue, is that people ought to differentiate between statements made for public consumption, some posters' wishes to co-opt matters in support of their political views, and how things are and will actually be handled.

 

The fact stands that the Emir's position is not nearly as gung-ho as some posters' assume or wish it to be (and the same goes for the Saudi crown prince). The fact stands that the USA remains central to negotiating a path out of this mess. The fact stands that the USA does not support one side over the other. The facts stands that had there been no issues and no problems, the Emir wouldn't make any overtures, contrived or otherwise, toward Saudi Arabia.

 

The link provided does not, unless I missed it, refer to an actual major and permanent shift in Qatar's trade and trading partners but speculates on what might be. Not quite the same thing. And with all due respect, not taking the author to either unbiased or be much of an authority, perhaps in a decade or two.

 

And nothing you have written here in any away detracts from the very good possibility that the emir is just positioning himself to score easy public relation points against an obtuse opponent,

[Morch]

5 minutes ago, ilostmypassword said:

And nothing you have written here in any away detracts from the very good possibility that the emir is just positioning himself to score easy public relation points against an obtuse opponent,

 

I have addressed this point on this topic, and others. Both sides engage in PR moves and point scoring. But such maneuvers are not disconnected from goals, nor ignore the probable way things will be sorted. The comment above is seemed to be grounded on the assumption that public relations are a paramount consideration for both sides, and that it overrides issues of face, bad blood and past grievances. IMO, if the Emir could afford avoiding any such PR games, he would. He can't.