Saudi demands from Qatar 'very provocative' - Germany

[webfact]

Saudi demands from Qatar 'very provocative' - Germany

By Andrea Shalal

 

A road sign is seen near Abu Samra border crossing to Saudi Arabia, Qatar June 12, 2017. REUTERS/Tom Finn

 

BERLIN (Reuters) - A list of 13 demands submitted by four Arab states to Qatar as a condition to lift their boycott on the Gulf country is "very provocative" because some items challenge Doha's sovereignty, German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel said on Monday.

 

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a boycott on Qatar three weeks ago, accusing it of backing militants - then issued an ultimatum, including demands that it shut down a Turkish military base in Doha.

 

Qatar denies the allegations against it and says the demands are aimed at curbing its sovereignty. A government spokesman last week said Doha was reviewing the list of demands, but did not view them as reasonable or actionable.

 

Gabriel told an event hosted by the European Council on Foreign Relations in Berlin that Germany remained in close touch with all sides to try to reduce tensions resulting from the biggest diplomatic crisis in the region in years.

 

He said some of the demands being made of Qatar were negotiable, but others clearly challenged its sovereignty.

 

The Arab states are demanding, among other things, that Doha close Al Jazeera television, curb ties with Iran, shut a Turkish base and also pay reparations.

 

Gabriel said it would be tough for Qatar to accept all 13 items on what he described as "a very provocative list".

 

He said efforts were under way to define which conditions Qatar could accept, and which it viewed as problematic.

Gabriel is due to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif in Berlin on Tuesday.

 

Iran's President Hassan Rouhani has voiced support for Qatar in its confrontation with the four states. Qatar says it is being punished for straying from its neighbours' backing for authoritarian hereditary and military rules.

 

Mainly Shi'ite Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia have long been at loggerheads over religion and political influence in the Middle East.

 

Zarif told the group earlier on Monday that Europe should use its influence to defuse tensions in the Gulf, arguing that those countries that blamed Iran or Qatar for terrorism were trying to avoid taking responsibility for their own failures.

 

(Reporting by Andrea Shalal; Editing by Alison Williams)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-27

[mark01]

Saudi Arabia has a lot more to hide than it's little neighbor.

Arab countries in glass houses should not throw stones.

[Dave67]

I think they will make themselves look very foolish Qatar is getting along with no major problems

[boomerangutang]

Germany knows a thing or two about provocative actions - against neighboring countries.

 

Granted, it's been several decades since early and mid-20th century, but still......   it sounds a bit weird that German leaders are advising other countries on how to get along with neighbors.

[Happyman58]

Saudi Arabia has one of the most brutal regimes in the world Total Dictatorship Worst than Hitler  Why can they get away with it ?THEY HAVE LOTS OF OIL. Dont see good old america say anything against them. Just thinking here the American busted their <deleted> to get rid of Suddem Hussian but do nothing against the King of Saudi Arabia  who had probaly ordered the deaths of thousands of people

[nasanews]

Finally the mask of respect to the heinous monarchy will go down the drain and more stupid decisions to be mocked by international society.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, mark01 said:

Saudi Arabia has a lot more to hide than it's little neighbor.

Arab countries in glass houses should not throw stones.

 

Maybe so. But <deleted> are Germany to interfere? 

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, Happyman58 said:

Saudi Arabia has one of the most brutal regimes in the world Total Dictatorship Worst than Hitler  Why can they get away with it ?THEY HAVE LOTS OF OIL. Dont see good old america say anything against them. Just thinking here the American busted their <deleted> to get rid of Suddem Hussian but do nothing against the King of Saudi Arabia  who had probaly ordered the deaths of thousands of people

 

Absolute crap. Unless you care to explain your reasoning on how they are worse than Hitler.

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Germany knows a thing or two about provocative actions - against neighboring countries.

 

Granted, it's been several decades since early and mid-20th century, but still......   it sounds a bit weird that German leaders are advising other countries on how to get along with neighbors.

 

As we've seen with the migrant quota system, German leaders don't like not getting their own way; and seem to expect neighboring countries to do as they're told. Only now they use the EU bureaucracy rather than military as the hammer. 

 

Germany is trying to be a major player on the world scene whilst dominating the EU. Worrying signs.

 

This is an Arab spat, being stoked up by Turkey for it's own reasons. Maybe Germany is hoping to curry favor with Turkey here.

[Briggsy]

4 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Maybe so. But <deleted> are Germany to interfere? 

Self-declared and de facto leaders of Europe.

 

Back on topic. If anybody has ever had the "pleasure" to negotiate with Arabs, you will know they ask for the moon initially.

[Baerboxer]

Just now, Briggsy said:

Self-declared and de facto leaders of Europe.

 

Back on topic. If anybody has ever had the "pleasure" to negotiate with Arabs, you will know they ask for the moon initially.

 

A Arab friend once remarked that Arabs negotiate in a zig zag, going in circles in a round-a-bout fashion, and wouldn't dream of being straight forward. He weren't wrong.

 

PS - the topic is about comments made by the German foreign minister. 

[ilostmypassword]

4 hours ago, boomerangutang said:

Germany knows a thing or two about provocative actions - against neighboring countries.

 

Granted, it's been several decades since early and mid-20th century, but still......   it sounds a bit weird that German leaders are advising other countries on how to get along with neighbors.

It's 77 years already since WW2 ended. There are very few Germans left who even fought in that war much less orchestrated atrociities. Get over it.

[nasanews]

What I don't understand is the international aviation law how they did not set regional air space limit in order for civilian airplanes to fly in times of crisis like we see with Qatar by giving countries like Saudi Arabia the right to block Qatar international flights from crossing the Saudi air space?

[manarak]

3 minutes ago, nasanews said:

What I don't understand is the international aviation law how they did not set regional air space limit in order for civilian airplanes to fly in times of crisis like we see with Qatar by giving countries like Saudi Arabia the right to block Qatar international flights from crossing the Saudi air space?

Saudi Arabia and other gulf states didn't sign the international treaty guaranteeing air corridors for international traffic.

[lvr181]

I am a little confused by this whole scenario. If Qatar is aligned with Iran, Turkey and the Kurds (Shiite nations?) against the Sunni nations (and ISIL are Sunni extremists) why is the U.S. selling arms and aligning themselves with Saudi Arabia? Seems a little crazy to me. 

[ilostmypassword]

Turkey is predominantly Sunni. Kurds are mixed and mostly dont care.

[gamini]

3 hours ago, lvr181 said:

I am a little confused by this whole scenario. If Qatar is aligned with Iran, Turkey and the Kurds (Shiite nations?) against the Sunni nations (and ISIL are Sunni extremists) why is the U.S. selling arms and aligning themselves with Saudi Arabia? Seems a little crazy to me. 

 

3 hours ago, lvr181 said:

I am a little confused by this whole scenario. If Qatar is aligned with Iran, Turkey and the Kurds (Shiite nations?) against the Sunni nations (and ISIL are Sunni extremists) why is the U.S. selling arms and aligning themselves with Saudi Arabia? Seems a little crazy to me. 

President Reagan "The US will always prosper because of its vast armament industry"

[Stargeezr]

Arms Dealers do not care who they sell their weapons to, as long as they are paid. The USA wants to get paid, hence the arms deal to them, after all they are using many bullets and missles in Yemen..

Simple math really, even if it has no morals, but what arms dealer has ever had morals.

Geezer

[Happyman58]

16 hours ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Absolute crap. Unless you care to explain your reasoning on how they are worse than Hitler.

Ok  Try up setting the King of Saudi Arabia And you will loose your head in public

[Happyman58]

10 hours ago, lvr181 said:

I am a little confused by this whole scenario. If Qatar is aligned with Iran, Turkey and the Kurds (Shiite nations?) against the Sunni nations (and ISIL are Sunni extremists) why is the U.S. selling arms and aligning themselves with Saudi Arabia? Seems a little crazy to me. 

Big Word OIL

[ilostmypassword]

Anybody notice the similarities between the Saudi Crown Prince and Trump's son-in-law? Both got to where they are because of family connections and both have previiously demonstrated remarkable incompetence in their careers. Maybe we should start calling the Saudi Crown Prince "Jared of Arabia".

[wabothai]

Mr. Gabriel has a good point here.

I find it quite remarkable that the wash has hit the fan days after trumps visit to the Saudis.

Remember trump is a ruthless salesman and doesn't give a hood (and knows nothing) about politics. he'd sell his own mother and daughter to "make America great again".

[nasanews]

On 6/27/2017 at 0:44 PM, Baerboxer said:

 

Absolute crap. Unless you care to explain your reasoning on how they are worse than Hitler.

Let us start back in 1995 when Islamic party in Algeria won the election, King Fahad ordered the Algerian defense minister to crack down Islamists which resulted in death of thousands.   2013 In Egypt after Muslim brotherhood won the election king Abdullah ordered Egyptian minister of defense to crack down the elected president put him prison and dismantle gathering of his supporters resulting in the death of thousands of demonstrators around 3000. 

How about on going war on Yemenis ordered by current king Salman which led to destruction of whole country and thousands of innocents  children, women and other civilians being killed by Saudi led airstrikes.   Not to forget around 30.000 prisoners of opinion in Saudi prisons.

I just mentioned what is publicly known crimes against humanity by the house of Al Saud.

[ilostmypassword]

2 minutes ago, nasanews said:

Let us start back in 1995 when Islamic party in Algeria won the election, King Fahad ordered the Algerian defense minister to crack down Islamists which resulted in death of thousands.   2013 In Egypt after Muslim brotherhood won the election king Abdullah ordered Egyptian minister of defense to crack down the elected president put him prison and dismantle gathering of his supporters resulting in the death of thousands of demonstrators around 3000. 

How about on going war on Yemenis ordered by current king Salman which led to destruction of whole country and thousands of innocents  children, women and other civilians being killed by Saudi led airstrikes.   Not to forget around 30.000 prisoners of opinion in Saudi prisons.

I just mentioned what is publicly known crimes against humanity by the house of Al Saud.

The Saudi Royal House is awful. But there's no need to compare them to Hitler. It doesn't clarify anything and only gives their defenders an opening.

[Naam]

On 6/27/2017 at 10:56 AM, Happyman58 said:

Saudi Arabia has one of the most brutal regimes in the world Total Dictatorship Worst than Hitler  Why can they get away with it ?THEY HAVE LOTS OF OIL. Dont see good old america say anything against them. Just thinking here the American busted their <deleted> to get rid of Suddem Hussian but do nothing against the King of Saudi Arabia  who had probaly ordered the deaths of thousands of people

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, nasanews said:

Let us start back in 1995 when Islamic party in Algeria won the election, King Fahad ordered the Algerian defense minister to crack down Islamists which resulted in death of thousands.   2013 In Egypt after Muslim brotherhood won the election king Abdullah ordered Egyptian minister of defense to crack down the elected president put him prison and dismantle gathering of his supporters resulting in the death of thousands of demonstrators around 3000. 

How about on going war on Yemenis ordered by current king Salman which led to destruction of whole country and thousands of innocents  children, women and other civilians being killed by Saudi led airstrikes.   Not to forget around 30.000 prisoners of opinion in Saudi prisons.

I just mentioned what is publicly known crimes against humanity by the house of Al Saud.

 

Now compare that to the millions of Jews, Poles, Russians, decent Germans, Americans, British, French, Australian and other allied lives, civilian and military personnel whose deaths occurred due to Hitler and his Nazis; the horrendous torture and deaths of millions; the attempt to exterminate the Jews; and the cold blooded massacres of millions.

 

You still think the Saudis worse?

 

Btw, any evidence for your "publicly" known crimes?

[Baerboxer]

9 hours ago, ilostmypassword said:

Anybody notice the similarities between the Saudi Crown Prince and Trump's son-in-law? Both got to where they are because of family connections and both have previiously demonstrated remarkable incompetence in their careers. Maybe we should start calling the Saudi Crown Prince "Jared of Arabia".

 

But both will end up extremely rich and powerful. 

 

Funny old world, but not always to laugh at.

[Baerboxer]

13 hours ago, Happyman58 said:

Ok  Try up setting the King of Saudi Arabia And you will loose your head in public

 

And that makes him worse than Hitler does it?

 

Try thinking it a bit more.

[Baerboxer]

On 6/27/2017 at 1:53 PM, ilostmypassword said:

It's 77 years already since WW2 ended. There are very few Germans left who even fought in that war much less orchestrated atrociities. Get over it.

 

And history never repeats 555!

[nasanews]

14 minutes ago, Baerboxer said:

 

Now compare that to the millions of Jews, Poles, Russians, decent Germans, Americans, British, French, Australian and other allied lives, civilian and military personnel whose deaths occurred due to Hitler and his Nazis; the horrendous torture and deaths of millions; the attempt to exterminate the Jews; and the cold blooded massacres of millions.

 

You still think the Saudis worse?

 

Btw, any evidence for your "publicly" known crimes?

Who is talking about Hitler for God's sake we are talking about the Saudi monarchy. Hello!