Gulf states cut ties with Qatar over ‘supporting terrorism’

[artofdream]

Source: https://www.rt.com/news/390867-qatar-gulf-states-terrorism/
Source: https://www.rt.com/news/390863-bahrain-cuts-diplomatic-relations-qatar/

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Egypt have broken off diplomatic relations with Qatar, claiming the country supports terrorism.

Interesting turn of events... Now starts the "Game of Blame".
As a side note, wondering which western politicians got funded by Qatar lately...
and who get benefits by going after Qatar specifically...

#C

 

[shijing]

I've been watching this since last night, and it's being made out to be a pretty dramatic development. SOTT began covering it as soon as the news broke, but here's a few more recent articles:

http://www.mintpressnews.com/saudi-qatar-relationship-thaws-leaving-opec-deal-oil-price-stability-risk/228459/
http://21stcenturywire.com/2017/06/04/gulf-monarchies-sacrifice-neighbor-qatar-as-sponsor-of-terrorism/
http://theantimedia.org/qatar-saudi-arabia-iran/

 

[Windmill knight]

This is amusing. Here I am waiting for Saudi Arabia to cut ties with itself! Don't people remember that in one of the Wikileaks emails Hillary herself admitted that both Qatar and Saudi Arabia sponsored ISIS?

Now I'm sure people will say this was because Trump went to talk the Saudis into sanity. There may be some to that but only in the sense that they'd want to make a show for Trump.

However, I think it's even more significant that this comes immediately after the role of Saudi Arabia funding extremism is on the elections talk in the UK due to the recent terrorist attacks. People have pointed out that Theresa May (and Trump) sell weapons to the Saudis; there's been a Home Office report about the foreign funding of terror which is not going to be published, apparently because it involves the Saudis. And perhaps most remarkably, Jeremy Corbyn said last night that 'difficult talks' with the Saudis and the Gulf states were in order regarding their support for terrorism.

So now the Saudis are like "It wasn't me! It was Qatar all along!" Pass the popcorn!

 

[goyacobol]

This is amusing. Here I am waiting for Saudi Arabia to cut ties with itself! Don't people remember that in one of the Wikileaks emails Hillary herself admitted that both Qatar and Saudi Arabia sponsored ISIS?

Now I'm sure people will say this was because Trump went to talk the Saudis into sanity. There may be some to that but only in the sense that they'd want to make a show for Trump.

However, I think it's even more significant that this comes immediately after the role of Saudi Arabia funding extremism is on the elections talk in the UK due to the recent terrorist attacks. People have pointed out that Theresa May (and Trump) sell weapons to the Saudis; there's been a Home Office report about the foreign funding of terror which is not going to be published, apparently because it involves the Saudis. And perhaps most remarkably, Jeremy Corbyn said last night that 'difficult talks' with the Saudis and the Gulf states were in order regarding their support for terrorism.

So now the Saudis are like "It wasn't me! It was Qatar all along!" Pass the popcorn!

The cleverest trick used in propaganda against Germany during the war was to accuse Germany of what our enemies themselves were doing.

The whole speech was full of interesting psychology. Goebbels at Nuremberg — 1934

This use of psychology and propaganda is of course not a new thing but may go back at least 309,000 years. "Look you could have this!"

Yes, why not "Pass the popcorn" (non-GMO of course). :P

 

[angelburst29]

Qatar - Saudi Arabia - UAE

After Trump's visit to the Middle East, there has been some tension between countries of the Persian Gulf, especially between the emirate of Qatar and Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

How Trump's 'Friendship' With Saudi Arabia Pushes Qatar Away
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706021054260233-trump-saudi-arabia-qatar/

Political analyst Atef Abdel Jawad told Sputnik Arabic what is behind this development.

“The US has little to do with the recent relations of Qatar with its neighbors. Qatar has a special place in the US policy toward the Middle East because it is needed to maintain ties with some terrorist groups, for example, the Taliban,” Jawad said.

The analyst further said that Qatar also aided in organizing the ransom of European citizens who fell into the captivity of terrorist groups.

According to the analyst during his visit, the US president did not go into the subtleties of relations between the countries, as the main topics were the fight against terrorism and confrontation with Iran.

The director of the Center for Middle East Studies, Anwar Ishki, believes that in order to reduce tension, Qatar must fulfill certain requirements.

“It must break off relations with Iran, stop confrontations with the Persian Gulf countries, refuse financing information channel Al-Jazeera, which works against Saudi Arabia and the UAE,” Ishki said.

Furthermore, as the director pointed out Qatar should not provide assistance to terrorist groups in the region and to Houthis in Yemen.

Ishki also said that it looks like the White House has made it clear that Qatar should listen to instructions from Riyadh.

Perhaps, it is this attitude of the American president that prompts Qatar to search for other allies in the region, in order to strengthen its influence.

Qatar appears to have decided to improve its relationship with Iran in a bid to gain leverage in its relations with Saudi Arabia, political analyst Ahmet Kasim Han told Sputnik Turkey, commenting on the recent spat between Riyadh and Doha.

Qatar 'Extends Olive Branch to Iran to Deal With Saudi Pressure'
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201706011054192507-qatar-iran-olive-branch/

Relations between Riyadh and Doha had taken a major hit last week after state-run Qatari news agency QNA published controversial comments attributed to Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.

News articles quoted al-Thani as saying, among other things, that Iran is an "Islamic power" that has played a positive role in stabilizing the region. In addition, the Qatari emir supposedly described relations with Israel as "good" and called Hamas the "legitimate representative of the Palestinian people," while criticizing Saudi Arabia and the United States for their policies in the Middle East.

Qatari officials later said that QNA's website and media accounts were hacked, saying that al-Thani's comments were fabricated, but some have remained unconvinced.

Ahmet Kasim Han, who teaches at Kadir Has University, mentioned three reasons behind the current tensions in the Gulf. These are the fact that Qatar has provided assistance to the Muslim Brotherhood; news items with quotes attributed to al-Thani and the "olive branch that Qatar has extended to Iran in a bid to tackle the pressure exerted by Saudi Arabia."

"This is seen as a maneuver intended to weaken Saudi diplomacy and the anti-Iranian bloc established in the Persian Gulf," he said.

The increasingly strained relations between Saudi Arabia and Qatar would have a limited effect on the Syrian crisis, the analyst added.

"The conflict in Syria has been driven by its internal dynamic and outside processes. This crisis in the bilateral relationship is neither able to bring peace in Syria closer nor capable of postponing it. It is also unable to drastically alter the balance of power in the country. Groups supported by Qatar and Saudi Arabia are not well-positioned to have an impact on the outcome of the Syrian conflict," political analyst Ahmet Kasim Han said.

Faik Bulut, an expert on the Middle East, maintains that President Bashar al-Assad could benefit from the row between Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

"Syria would be affected [by the spat] since increasingly warm relations between Qatar and Iran would lead to a rapprochement with Syria. In such a case, Qatar would withdraw those groups and organizations which it has sponsored in Syria. Since Jordan has largely shared Qatar's stance, it could also adopt a more passive approach toward Syria," Faik Bulut, an expert on the Middle East, told Sputnik Turkey.

The analyst did not rule out that Saudi Arabia could take measures targeted against Qatar, including a false flag attack. Riyadh could also ask Washington to exert pressure on Doha, he added, saying that this is an "extremely complicated situation."

Saudi Arabia is intent on preventing other Gulf monarchies from fostering closer ties with Iran, Iranian political analyst and former chief editor of the Mehr News Agency, Hassan Hanizadeh, told Sputnik Persian.

Who Stands in the Way of Iran-Qatar Rapprochement
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201705251053981869-iran-qatar-saudi-arabia/

Saudi Arabia "has made every effort to turn other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council against Iran, prohibiting them from establishing working relations with our country. This is why it is Saudi Arabia that does not want Iran to become friends with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Apparently, peace and stability in the region are not among goals that Riyadh wants to pursue," the analyst said.

Hanizadeh also mentioned United States President Donald Trump's recent visit to the oil kingdom, saying that his meeting with the Gulf monarchs was "symbolic."

"Trump offered these nations to create a so-called Arab NATO to contain Iran. Qatar is the only GCC member that has tried to refrain from engaging in conflicts and maintain working relations with Iran. Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani has reaffirmed these with his recent statements. However, a strong response from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and UAE has dominated the media. Clearly, Qatar has chosen a path different from other GCC nations. Its strategy is aimed at fostering closer ties with Iran in disregard for Saudi Arabia's threats," the analyst said.

Hanizadeh was referring to a story that caused a stir in the Middle East earlier this week.

On May 24, the Qatar News Agency published a news item quoting al-Thani as saying among other things that Iran is a "regional and Islamic power" that has played a positive role in stabilizing the region. These comments caused outrage in Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with both countries blocking Qatari media including Al Jazeera. Qatar later said that QNA was hacked, publishing a false statement attributed to al-Thani.

Some have remained unconvinced. Hanizadeh suggested that the fact that al-Thani's remarks were first published and then removed points to internal divisions in the Gulf Cooperation Council.

"Qatar has ideological allies among Arab monarchs when it comes to this issue, specifically the rulers of Oman and Kuwait. These countries have carried out a foreign policy less dependent on Riyadh," he explained.

Tehran could find itself embroiled in a large-scale regional confrontation, political analyst Gulriz Sen told Sputnik Turkey, adding that veteran politicians would help the Islamic Republic navigate through hard times.

Iran Likely to 'Be Dragged Into Major Regional Crisis'
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201705241053939387-iran-major-regional-crisis/

"The most important thing is that experienced rational politicians are at the helm in the country. This is particularly significant since Iran is likely to be dragged into a major regional and global crisis," she said.

Gulriz Sen specifically mentioned President Hassan Rouhani, who was recently re-elected for a second term, and Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, saying that the fact that they are in power is a "positive trend" for Iran during this "momentous and complex period in time."

Regardless of how deep the crisis in Iran's relations with the United States becomes, these politicians have resources to easily engage in dialogue with the European Union," she said. "Iran is likely to continue developing relations with the EU, Russia and China as a counterbalance to the United States
and the increasingly active anti-Iranian coalition in the region.

The political analyst said that the anti-Iranian coalition includes the United States, Saudi Arabia and Israel, adding that Turkey could potentially join them.

"Iran is deeply concerned with a rapprochement between Turkey and Saudi Arabia. Turkey should abandon this foreign policy approach since it could lead to negative trends in relations between Ankara and Tehran which have developed after the nuclear deal was signed," she said.

"Iranian authorities have drawn several distinct and unchangeable 'red lines.' Cooperation with Hezbollah is one of those. Support to Assad's regime in Syria is another important 'red line' to Iran. Tehran does not intend to abandon these foreign policy initiatives," she said.

Bahrain announced that it is cutting diplomatic relations with Qatar.

Bahrain Severs Diplomatic Relations With Qatar
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054309402-bahrain-cuts-ties-qatar/

Bahrain on Monday announced cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar citing ongoing attempts to destabilize security in the country, Bahrain News Agency said in a statement Monday. "Due to the insistence of the State of Qatar in further destabilizing security and stability in the Kingdom of Bahrain and interference in its affairs, continuing the escalation and incitement media and supporting armed terrorist activities… the Kingdom of Bahrain announces the severance of diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar," the statement read.

Qatar citizens given 14 days while Qatar diplomats given 48 hours to leave Bahrain.

Cairo announced that Egypt severs diplomatic relations with Qatar.

Egypt Cuts Diplomatic Relations With Qatar Following Bahrain, Saudi Arabia
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054309544-egyptcuts-qatar-relations/

Egypt, following Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Qatar, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement Monday.

The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt has decided to sever diplomatic relations with Qatar because of the continued hostility of the Qatari authorities towards Egypt," the statement read.

Cairo severed diplomatic relations with Doha due to its support for Muslim Brotherhood-led terrorists, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

Egypt Severs Ties With Qatar Due to Support for Muslim Brotherhood-Led Terrorism
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054311473-egypt-cuts-ties-qatar-muslim-brotherhood/

Egypt has broke off diplomatic ties with Qatar because of Doha's support for the radical Islamist movement of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Monday.

"The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt decided to sever diplomatic relations with Qatar because of the continuing hostility by the Qatari authorities toward Egypt and the failure of all attempts to persuade them to end support for terrorist organizations led by the Muslim Brotherhood," the ministry said.

United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic relations with Qatar, saying that the country was destabilising security.

UAE Cuts Relations With Qatar, Supporting Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054309778-uae-cuts-ties-qatar/

United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic relations with Qatar, just after Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Egypt made the same announcement.

The announcement by state news agency WAM said that UAE accused Qatar of "destabilising security of the region".

Emirates gave Qatar's diplomats 48 hours to leave the country, citing "support, funding and embrace of terrorist, extremist and sectarian organisations".

The countries also announced that they were cutting air and sea contact with Qatar.

The government of Yemen has cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, thus following a similar decision by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Yemen Severs Diplomatic Relations With Qatar
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054312446-yemen-severs-diplomatic-relations-qatar/

"Yemeni government cuts diplomatic ties with Qatar," the Al-Arabiya broadcaster said in its breaking news dispatch. "Yemeni gov't also confirms Arab coalition suspends Qatar's participation."

Sanaa accuses Doha of supporting Shiite Houthi rebels and other radical groups in the country.

"This takes place after Qatar's actions and its links with the groups behind the coup, as well as its support for extremist groups in Yemen, became clear," the government statement published by Yemen's Saba news agency reads.

The Tobruk-based internationally recognized government of Libya has broken off diplomatic relations with Qatar following the move by Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.

Libya Breaks Off Diplomatic Relations With Qatar
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054313491-libya-cuts-relations-wuth-qatar/

"Qatar has been the main source of supplying weapons to the Libyan branch of the Muslim Brotherhood and other armed Islamist groups since 2012 and poses a threat to the national security of the Arab world," Foreign Minister Mohammed Dairi said as quoted by Sky News Arabia.

 

[Anthony]

Obviously, that Qatar is supporting terrorism isn't what's troubling the Saudi head-choppers and their overlords in the U.S.A. It's about not toeing the line with regards to Iran. And now it seems that they are using the current situation with all the terror attacks (and the Saudis getting increasingly blamed) to try and deflect attention from themselves and get at Qatar.

 

[Joe]

This is amusing. Here I am waiting for Saudi Arabia to cut ties with itself! Don't people remember that in one of the Wikileaks emails Hillary herself admitted that both Qatar and Saudi Arabia sponsored ISIS?

Now I'm sure people will say this was because Trump went to talk the Saudis into sanity. There may be some to that but only in the sense that they'd want to make a show for Trump.

However, I think it's even more significant that this comes immediately after the role of Saudi Arabia funding extremism is on the elections talk in the UK due to the recent terrorist attacks. People have pointed out that Theresa May (and Trump) sell weapons to the Saudis; there's been a Home Office report about the foreign funding of terror which is not going to be published, apparently because it involves the Saudis. And perhaps most remarkably, Jeremy Corbyn said last night that 'difficult talks' with the Saudis and the Gulf states were in order regarding their support for terrorism.

So now the Saudis are like "It wasn't me! It was Qatar all along!" Pass the popcorn!

There's that, although I'm not sure the Saudis are fazed by the terrorism accusation, they reckon their friendship with Western governments is iron clad, and it probably is. More relevant to this turn of events, I suspect, is the fact that Qatar has been snuggling up to Iran in further development of their communal gas field in the Persian gulf and the export of the gas to the world (East and West). Basically, this piece of news probably links right back to the great global geopolitical game between anglo-America and their Saudi and Israeli allies Vs Russia-Iran-Syria, and the question of who will dominate the global energy market in the near future.

Note that when in Saudi recently, Trump (laughably) singled out Iran as the primary sponsor of terrorism. What he really meant, like every other US pres. before him, was that Iran must not be allowed to 'break out' energy-wise because if they do, their alliance with global bear Russia and strategically-placed Syria will sound the death knell for Western dominance in the Middle East and, therefore, the world.

 

[angelburst29]

Re: Qatar - Saudi Arabia - UAE

Qatar protested the "unjustified" decision of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to cut ties with the country.

Qatar Regrets Gulf States' 'Unjustified' Move to Cut Diplomatic Ties
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054311906-qatar-gulf-states-ties-cut/

"We regret the decision to sever relations," the ministry said in a statement broadcast by Al-Jazeera. "These measures are unjustified, they are based on assertions without foundation."

According to the statement, Qatar was subjected to an information campaign aimed at undermining the interests of the Middle Eastern state.

On June 5, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic relations with Qatar amid the row over the latter’s alleged support for Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist movement.

"The State of Qatar is an active member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf [GCC], respects its charter, respects the sovereignty of other states and does not interfere in their internal affairs, and also fulfills its obligations to combat terrorism and extremism," the ministry said.

Etihad Airways, the national airline carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will suspend all flights to and from Qatar on Tuesday, a decision which comes on the heels of Abu Dhabi officially cutting off diplomatic relations with Doha, the airline’s spokesperson told Sputnik Monday.

No-Fly Zone: UAE's Etihad Airways Suspends Flights to Qatar Amid Diplomatic Row
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054311765-uae-etihad-airways-qatar/

"The airline will suspend flights to Qatar and from Qatar from Tuesday’s morning," the Etihad Airways’ spokesperson said in statement.

Egypt's EgyptAir flag-carrier has joined three Emirati airlines in suspending flights to the capital of Qatar after their countries cut off diplomatic ties with Doha.

EgyptAir Suspends Flights to Qatar Until Special Notice
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054314335-egyptair-suspends-flights-to-qatar/

"EgyptAir announced a delay in the flight to Doha before a final decision on air communication between Cairo and the capital of Qatar," the company said as quoted by the El Fagr newspaper.

Qatar Airways said in a travel alert on Monday that it has suspended flights to Saudi Arabia, which cut off diplomatic relations with Doha alongside other regional states earlier in the day.

Qatar Airways Suspends Flights to Saudi Arabia
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054314591-qatar-airways-saudi-arabia-flights/

"Qatar Airways has suspended all flights to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia until 23:59 UTC [GMT] on 05th June (02.59 Doha Time on 6th June)," the travel alert reads.

The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) Flydubai and Emirates airlines have cancelled flights to and from Qatar from June 6 after the UAE had cut off diplomatic ties with Doha, the companies said in separate statements on Monday.

Flydubai, Emirates Suspend Flights to Qatar Amid Diplomatic Row
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054320235-flydubai-emirates-suspend-flights-qatar/

"From Tuesday 06 June 2017 all Flydubai flights between Dubai and Doha will be suspended," Flydubai’s statement said.

Emirates said in a statement it would provide alternative options for passengers.

"All customers booked on Emirates’ flights to and from Doha will be provided with alternative options, including full refunds on unused tickets and free rebooking to the nearest alternate Emirates destinations," Emirates said.

Riyadh, after severing diplomatic ties with Doha, said in statement on Monday that it ordered all Qatari nationals to leave its territory within the next two weeks and banned all Qataris from entering the country with the exception of pilgrims allowed to visit the country for religious purposes.

Saudi Arabia to Expel All Qatari Citizens With Exception of Pilgrims Amid Row
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054314496-saudi-arabia-qatar-citizens-expell/

"Unfortunately, all Qatari citizens are prohibited from visiting Saudi Arabia and from transiting through the country due to the security concerns. The residents and people, who are temporarily on the territory of Saudi Arabia, have 14 days to leave the country," the government's statement read, as quoted by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The government of Saudi Arabia has begun the process of cancellation of broadcasting licenses of the Qatari Al Jazeera channel and closing its offices.

Saudi Arabia Closing Qatar's Al Jazeera Offices in Country
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054317711-saudi-arabia-losing-al-jazeera-qatar/

According to the Ajel media outlet, the Saudi authorities ordered the Saudi journalists working for Qatari media outlets to return home.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said Monday it had given Qatar's ambassador 48 hours to leave the Arab republic following a diplomatic rift that saw Cairo sever diplomatic relations with Doha alongside six other Gulf and Arab states.

Get Out, Please: Cairo Gives Qatar's Ambassador 48 Hours to Leave Egypt
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054325261-egypt-qatar-ambassador/

"The Qatari ambassador was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, where he was notified of the decision to sever diplomatic relations, handed an official note on the completion of his accreditation as the ambassador to Egypt. He was given 48 hours to leave the country," the Egyptian ministry said in a statement.

The ministry added that Egypt's charge d'affaires in Doha was also ordered to return to Cairo within 48 hours.

Russia will closely examine the claims by Arab and Gulf states that Qatar sponsors terrorism, Russian upper house Defense and Security Committee chair Viktor Ozerov told Sputnik after the states cut off diplomatic ties with Doha.

Russia to Closely Examine Claims of Qatar's Support for Terrorism
https://sputniknews.com/politics/201706051054316370-russia-qatar-terrorism-support/

On June 5, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic relations with Qatar. Libya made a similar decision. Yemen cut diplomatic relations citing Doha’s links with Houthis. The Maldives took the same step.

"Of course we will carefully study all the information that, as claimed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the countries that have joined them, indicates that Qatar supports international terrorism," Ozerov said Monday.

He reiterated Moscow's independence in developing its policy toward diplomatic relations with Qatar.

Russian Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Vladimir Voronkov stated that the latest regional diplomatic crisis with Qatar is unlikely to affect an agreement among major producers to cut oil output.

Qatar Diplomatic Row Unlikely to Affect Vienna Agreement - Moscow
https://sputniknews.com/world/201706051054318514-russia-opec-qatar-diplomacy/

Russia does not expect the latest regional diplomatic crisis with Qatar to affect an agreement among major producers to cut oil output, Russian Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Vladimir Voronkov told Sputnik.

"This document has an economic rather than a political focus, so I do not think that this will have any significant impact on the implementation of the agreement," Voronkov said Monday.

Noting that not all countries of the Arab Gulf and North Africa have "exited" diplomatic relations with Qatar, he said "I think that no big changes are to be expected here."

Turkey is saddened by the decision made by Saudi Arabia, Egypt and five other Gulf and North African states to break diplomatic relations with Qatar, the Turkish foreign minister said Monday.

Turkey 'Saddened' by Gulf States' Decision to Cut Ties With Qatar
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054319651-turkey-qatar-gulf-states/

"We are saddened by the development of the situation. Of course there may be problems and disagreements between countries, but dialogue must continue under any conditions," Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a briefing alongside his German counterpart.

The news that six Gulf states have cut diplomatic relations with Qatar is an attempt by Saudi Arabia to "get everybody in line" following Donald Trump's visit to the region, Professor Peter Sluglett told Radio Sputnik.

Qatar 'Far Less Dangerous Than Saudi Arabia' Despite Riyadh-Led Terror Sanctions
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054326100-saudi-arabia-qatar-sanctions-terror/

On Monday, four Arab states – Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates – announced that they had cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism and Islamic extremism. The governments of Yemen and Libya followed suit later in the day.

"(Qatar) embraces multiple terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at disturbing stability in the region, including the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS (Islamic State) and al-Qaeda, and promotes the message and schemes of these groups through their media constantly," Saudi state news agency SPA said.

Riyadh also announced the closure of its land border with Qatar, which could cause significant problems for its neighbor, reliant on food supplies imported across land from Saudi Arabia.

In addition, it has canceled the broadcasting license and started closing Saudi offices of the al Jazeera satellite network, alleging that Qatar uses the government-owned network to broadcast militant ideology.

Peter Sluglett, visiting research professor at the National University of Singapore's Middle East Institute, told Radio Sputnik that the sudden decision is likely the consequence of US President Donald Trump's recent visit to Riyadh, and a shared desire to put pressure on Doha's foreign policy.

"Qatar always had a fairly independent policy, it had for example always supported the Muslim brethren, but in many ways it has done the same sort of thing that the Saudis have. Supporting rebel/terrorist groups in Syria for example, there's not much difference between them," Sluglett explained.

"Both Saudi Arabia and Qatar – not necessarily the government but wealthy citizens in these countries – have been supporting extremist Islamic groups for years. I suspect this is happening now because of Trump's recent visits to Saudi Arabia and this whole notion that somehow the Gulf states should present some sort of united front."

In contrast to other Gulf states, "Qatar does not like being seen to be in the pocket of Saudi Arabia," and prefers to pursue more independent foreign policy, including in its relations with Iran.

"What is important is that Qatar has and always will have a large gas field with Iran and so Qatar's need to have decent relations with Iran is a fact of life," Sluglett explained.

"I think this is the Saudi regime's desire to get everybody in line. This useless and destructive war in Yemen is another facet of this."

"To sum up, Qatar is no more a danger to the security of the region than any of the other Gulf states and it is far less dangerous than Saudi Arabia, for example."

A summary of what has happened in the course of the Qatar-related diplomatic crisis so far.

How Arab States Cut Off Diplomatic Ties With Qatar Over Support of Terrorism
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706051054327658-arab-states-cut-off-relations-qatar-terrorism/

A diplomatic scandal broke out in the Arab world on Monday, with four regional states, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, severing diplomatic ties with Qatar over its support of terrorism and meddling in internal affairs, which was followed by other states.

Pro-Iran Stance

The conflict between Qatar and its neighbors occurred one week after the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, which took place May 20-21, when a Qatari news agency posted a speech on behalf of the country's emir in support of building relations with Iran.

At the summit, Saudi Arabia, on behalf of all the guests, condemned Iran for its hostile policies and threatened it with an adequate response. Later, the official representative of the Qatari Foreign Ministry said that the agency's site was hacked, and that the speech on behalf of the emir was published by hackers and has nothing to do with the Qatari leader.

However, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain considered this refutation to be unconvincing and continued to insist that the words about the normalization of relations with Iran were those of the emir.

Security Destabilization, Support for Terrorists

Bahrain was the first country to cut off diplomatic ties due to Qatar's persistent attempts to destabilize the situation in the country and supporting terrorist activities.

"Due to the insistence of the State of Qatar in further destabilizing security and stability in the Kingdom of Bahrain and interference in its affairs, continuing the escalation and incitement of media and supporting armed terrorist activities… the Kingdom of Bahrain announces the severance of diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar," the statement published by the Bahrain News Agency read.

Bahrain gave Qatari diplomats 48 hours to leave the territory of the kingdom. In addition, Manama suspended air and sea communication with Doha and banned citizens of Qatar from visiting Bahrain, and prohibited its own citizens from living in or visiting Qatar.

Minutes later, Riyadh, Cairo and Abu Dhabi made similar statements, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt also suspended air and sea communication with Qatar.

Saudi Arabia ordered all Qatari nationals to leave its territory within the next two weeks and banned all Qataris from entering the country with the exception of pilgrims allowed to visit the country for religious purposes.

Unfortunately, all Qatari citizens are prohibited from visiting Saudi Arabia and from transiting through the country due to the security concerns. The residents and people, who are temporarily on the territory of Saudi Arabia, have 14 days to leave the country," the government's statement read, as quoted by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The government of Saudi Arabia also begun the process of cancellation of broadcasting licenses of the Qatari Al Jazeera channel and closing its offices in the country.

The UAE explained its decision to cut off diplomatic relations with Qatar because of its support for the radical Islamist movement of the Muslim Brotherhood.

"The UAE took these decisive measures in connection with… the continued support and financing and harboring of terrorist, extremist and sectarian groups led by the Muslim Brotherhood," the UAE government said in a statement quoted by the Emirates News Agency (WAM).

The same reason, as well as Doha's hostility toward Egypt, was cited by Cairo.

The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt decided to sever diplomatic relations with Qatar because of the continuing hostility by the Qatari authorities toward Egypt and the failure of all attempts to persuade them to end support for terrorist organizations led by the Muslim Brotherhood," the Egyptian Foreign Ministry said.

The move was additionally supported by Yemen, which accused Doha of supporting Shiite Houthi rebels and other radical groups, and Libya, which considered Qatar to be "the main source of arms supplies to the Libyan branch of the Muslim Brotherhood organization and other Islamist armed groups since 2012", as well as the Maldives.

Moreover, Qatari participation in the Arab coalition was suspended.

Qatar's Response

The Qatari Foreign Ministry expressed regret over the Arab states' decision to sever diplomatic ties, calling the measures unjustified.

"We regret the decision to sever relations… These measures are unjustified, they are based on assertions without foundation," the ministry said in a statement broadcast by Al Jazeera.

The ministry also rejected the Arab Gulf states' accusations of its interference in other countries' domestic affairs.

The State of Qatar is an active member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf [GCC], respects its charter, respects the sovereignty of other states and does not interfere in their internal affairs, and also fulfills its obligations to combat terrorism and extremism," the ministry said.

Russian, US Reactions

Commenting on the issue, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the decision to break off diplomatic ties with Qatar was the Arab states' "own business", adding that Russia was interested in maintaining friendly relations with everyone in the region.

"We are convinced that any divisions can take place. We were never happy over the difficulties that arose in relations of other countries. We are interested in maintaining friendly relations with everyone, especially in the region where concentration of all efforts of fighting a joint threat, a threat of international terrorism, is a priority," Lavrov told a press conference.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that Russia advocated in favor of a peaceful and stable Persian Gulf but could not interfere in their domestic affairs.

"We cannot interfere in the internal affairs of other states, in this case the states of the Persian Gulf," Peskov told reporters.

The spokesman also expressed hope that that the diplomatic row would not affect the resolve to combat terrorism.

Russian upper house Defense and Security Committee chair Viktor Ozerov told Sputnik that Moscow would closely examine the claims by Arab and Gulf states that Qatar sponsors terrorism.

"Of course we will carefully study all the information that, as claimed by Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the countries that have joined them, indicates that Qatar supports international terrorism," Ozerov said.

He reiterated Moscow's independence in developing its policy toward diplomatic relations with Qatar.

As regards an oil production cut deal signed by members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which Qatar is part of, Russian Permanent Representative to the International Organizations in Vienna Vladimir Voronkov told Sputnik that the diplomatic crisis would not effect the oil agreement.

"This document has an economic rather than a political focus, so I do not think that this will have any significant impact on the implementation of the agreement," Voronkov said.

Commenting on the issue, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson called on the Gulf countries to address their differences.

"We certainly would encourage the parties to sit down together and address these differences. If there is any role that we can play in terms of helping them address those, we think it is important that the GCC [Gulf Cooperation Council] remain unified," Tillerson said, in televised remarks from Sydney.

 

[angelburst29]

Is it possible to have this thread merged with this one - or vice versa - with a compilation of articles leading up to the Gulf States cutting ties with Qatar?

https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,44323.0.html

[Moderator: Topics merged]

 

[angelburst29]

Is it possible to have this thread merged with this one - or vice versa - with a compilation of articles leading up to the Gulf States cutting ties with Qatar?

https://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php/topic,44323.0.html

[Moderator: Topics merged]

Thank you. Very much appreciated.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has called on Saudi Arabia and Qatar to stay united and solve their differences, after Riyadh severed ties with Doha and asked its Persian Gulf allies to follow suit.

Tillerson calls on Saudi, others to solve differences with Qatar
http://presstv.com/Detail/2017/06/05/524245/US-Tillerson-saudi-Qatar-Egypt-UAE-Trump

"We certainly would encourage the parties to sit down together and address these differences," Tillerson said in Sydney on Monday, shortly after Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt also cut ties with the gas-rich Persian Gulf peninsula.

The top US diplomat said it was “important” for Washington that the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council countries “remain united.”

A senior Iranian official says Saudi-led severing of diplomatic ties with Qatar is the the first fallout from US President Donald Trump's visit to the region last month.

Saudi-Qatar rift first fallout of Trump visit: Iran
http://presstv.com/Detail/2017/06/05/524251/Iran-Qatar-Saudi-Arabia-Bahrain-Egypt-UAE

The trip marked the US clinching a record $110-billion arms deal with the kingdom, accompanied by a sword dance which caught many eyes.

"What is happening is the preliminary result of the sword dance," Hamid Aboutalebi, deputy chief of staff of Iran's President Hassan Rouhani, tweeted on Monday after Riyadh took the lead to cut ties with Qatar followed by the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.

The official took aim at a Saudi-led military coalition which was branded as "Arab NATO" during Trump's visit as Iran was cited an adversary.

“I had already written that the era of creating coalitions and Big Brothers is over, and political domination, security clannishness, occupation, and invasion is not going to bring about anything other than insecurity,” Aboutalebi wrote.

“Today, I am writing that the era of sanctions is over too, and cutting diplomatic ties, closing borders, laying sieges on countries, and ejecting countries out of the selfsame coalition, etc. is not the way out of the crisis,” he added.

One of the first practical steps to defeat radical Islamic terrorism in the region was put into place during President Donald J. Trump’s mid-March visit to the Saudi Kingdom where it was decided that prominent Arab states must work together, along with the U.S., to stop the bitter hatred.

Qatar cut off by major Arab states for supporting terrorism following Trump’s Saudi visit
https://www.intellihub.com/qatar-cut-off-by-major-arab-states-for-supporting-terrorism-following-trumps-saudi-visit/

Following the meeting, a number of Arab states have cut ties with the sovereign country of Qatar over the past few weeks creating a new rift in the region. Among the states are Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Libya, and Maldives.

As a result of the severance, Qatar’s stock market index sunk 7.5% percent Monday and is expected to sink even more while the country struggles to find balance.

It’s believed by top intelligence analysts that Qatar’s King Doha, a.k.a. “Father Emir,” supports radical Islamic terrorism and also supports Iran’s agenda which can lead to far worse problems if not addressed.

And if that’s not enough, the Clinton Foundation reportedly received between $1 and $5 million from the Qatar Royal Family during Hillary’s tenure with the State Department.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s connection to Qatar was exposed with the release of the Wikileaks “Podesta emails” in which Hillary Clinton, back on Aug. 2, 2014, sent John Podesta, an adviser to President Barack Obama at the time, an 8-point plan on how to defeat ISIS which consisted of the U.S. funding Kurdish forces to weaken ISIL and other radical Sunni groups.

In the leaked email, Hillary wrote:

With all of its tragic aspects, the advance of ISIL through Iraq gives the U.S. Government an opportunity to change the way it deals with the chaotic security situation in North Africa and the Middle East. The most important factor in this matter is to make use of intelligence resources and Special Operations troops in an aggressive manner, while avoiding the old school solution, which calls for more traditional military operations. In Iraq it is important that we engage ISIL using the resources of the Peshmerga fighters of the Kurdish Regional Government (KRG), and what, if any, reliable units exist in the Iraqi Army. The Peshmerga commanders are aggressive hard fighting troops, who have long standing relationships with CIA officers and Special Forces operators. However, they will need the continued commitment of U.S. personnel to work with them as advisors and strategic planners, the new generation of Peshmerga commanders being largely untested in traditional combat. That said, with this U.S. aid the Kurdish troops can inflict a real defeat on ISIL.

[…]

While this military/para-military operation is moving forward, we need to use our diplomatic and more traditional intelligence assets to bring pressure on the governments of Qatar and Saudi Arabia, which are providing clandestine financial and logistic support to ISIL and other radical Sunni groups in the region.

It’s no big secret that ISIS was purposely created by the Obama Administration and the C.I.A. to help isolate the Syrian government, all of this is admitted in declassified documents and other reports. Moreover, it’s also no secret that the Obama Administration knew about the planned terrorist attack on Benghazi 10-days prior, as Judicial Watch uncovered in May of 2015.

These people were just sitting around letting things happen in order to gain the outcome they desired.

Even Donald Trump said that “they” created ISIS. In early-2016, Donald Trump, while campaigning in Biloxi, Mississippi, after the Saudi Arabian Embassy was burned down in Tehran, stated: “Iran wants to take over Saudi Arabia — they always have. They want the oil okay, they’ve always wanted that.”

Trump: 'Clinton Created ISIS with Obama'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QcEMH5YuI6E (0:28 min.)

Then in reference to the Obama Administration, Trump said: “They have a bunch of dishonest people. They’ve created ISIS. Hillary Clinton created ISIS with Obama.”

Withal being said, it’s safe to say that the recent severance of Qatar by prominent Arab states may be a massage to Hillary and Obama that there’s a new president in town and he doesn’t want to conduct business as usual.

Crude prices rose on Monday on the news Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing the country of supporting terrorism.

Oil jumps after Qatar shunned by Arab neighbors over alleged terrorism links
https://www.rt.com/business/390919-qatar-arab-oil-prices/

Brent crude jumped 32 cents to above $50 per barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate saw a 34 cent increase to $48 per barrel.

Qatar is the biggest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG). It also is a major exporter of condensate, a low-density liquid fuel and refining product derived from natural gas. country also produces 1.48 million barrels of oil per day and is a member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC).

“I think it’s still going to be a bit of a debate on the true impact it can have on the oil market,” said Olivier Jakob, strategist at Petromatrix, as quoted by Reuters.

“In terms of oil flows it doesn’t change very much, but there is a wider geopolitical impact one needs to consider,” Jakob added. He explained that the deterioration in relations between OPEC members Qatar and Saudi Arabia could disrupt the cartel-led agreement on production cuts.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are OPEC’s major crude exporters, with a much more significant impact on global oil prices.

Brent futures are still down seven percent since May 25, when OPEC, Russia, and other countries announced they would extend production cuts by another nine months into 2018.

Crude output in the United States, which is not a participant in the deal, has grown over 10 percent since last year to 9.34 million barrels per day, approaching the levels of top producers Saudi Arabia and Russia.

“Investors continue to doubt the ability of OPEC to rebalance the oil market, with crude oil prices remaining under pressure amid further signs of rising US oil production,” said ANZ Bank.

 

[angelburst29]

The Saudi Ports Authority has issued a directive to the companies running the ports in the country to deny entry for Qatar's ships.

Saudi Ports Authority Urges Operators to Deny Entry for Qatari Ships
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706061054343394-saudi-arabia-qatar-ports/

Saudi Arabia's Ports Authority has demanded from ports' operator companies to implement the directive to deny entry for ships flying the flag of Qatar to Saudi ports, the Ports Authority said Monday.

"All shipping agents must comply with the order to deny entry for ships under the flag of Qatar or vessels belonging to Qatari citizens and companies," the Ports Authority said in a statement.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Anwar Mohammed Gargash called on Qatar to form the road map including guarantees of its implementation for the reestablishment of the diplomatic ties with the countries which had broken ties with Doha.

UAE: Qatar Must Form 'Road Map With Guarantees' to Restore Ties With Arab States
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706061054341899-qatar-road-map-uae/

"It is necessary to return the trust after the breach of the agreements, the road map with guarantees is necessary," Gargash wrote on Twitter late on Monday.

"We in UAE have chosen honesty and transparency, we have chosen stability instead of anarchy, we have chosen moderation and development, we have chosen trust and clarity, we have chosen [Saudi Arabian King] Salman [bin Abdulaziz Al Saud] and Saudi Arabia," another Gargash's Twitter post on the diplomatic row with Qatar read.

The UAE foreign minister also explained that the decision to cut off the diplomatic relations with Qatar taken by the Arab states on Monday followed years of exhortations and patience. Gargash noted that the diplomatic row with Qatar "does not concern the sovereignty and independence in taking the decisions but lies in the denial of the policy aimed at harming the brothers, undermining the security and stability of the Persian Gulf."

Tehran is ready to provide Qatar with food products amid the diplomatic row between Doha and other Arab states over the alleged support for terrorist groups.

Iran Set to Export Food to Qatar After Gulf States Cut Ties With Doha
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706061054341226-iran-qatar-food-deliveries/

Iran is ready to deliver any kind of food products to Qatar as the Persian Gulf states cut ties with Doha over a recent diplomatic rift, Chairman of Iran's Union of Exporters of Agricultural Products Reza Nourani said on Monday.

We are ready to export any kind of foodstuffs to Qatar in light of the sanctions imposed by the Persian Gulf countries," Nourani said as quoted by the Fars news agency.

Media reported earlier in the day that trucks carrying foods were stuck at the border in Saudi Arabia unable to enter Qatar.

 

[angelburst29]

A think tank head has told Sputnik that Saudi Arabia had severed the diplomatic ties with Qatar in preparation for a full-scale invasion of its neighboring country.

Next Step - Invasion? Why Saudi Arabia Moved to Cut Ties With Qatar
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706061054344186-saudi-arabia-qatar-invasion/

Saudi Arabia’s decision to cut off all ties with the Persian Gulf state of Qatar may be a prelude to invading the small and wealthy emirate and seizing its wealth, Institute for Gulf Affairs Founder and Director Professor Ali al-Ahmed told Sputnik.

I project the invasion of Qatar… I have received reports of Saudi military movements near the Qatari border," al-Ahmed said on Monday. "The Saudis: They are preparing."

Al-Ahmed warned that a full-scale invasion of Qatar could occur much sooner than anyone anticipated.

Check on the frequency of bombings in Yemen… A key sign will be if there is a cessation or major reduction in the number of Saudi air strikes being conducted against the rebel forces in Yemen. That would indicate the Saudis are massing their forces for a sudden move against Qatar instead," al-Ahmed stated.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, who had close ties with the Saudi royal family during his 15 years as Chairman and CEO of Exxon, would both tacitly support the Saudi invasion of Qatar, al-Ahmed claimed.

"I have it on good authority that Trump has already told the Saudis he would have no objection," he said.

If the Saudis invaded Qatar, they would also be strongly supported by Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, especially the Kingdom of Bahrain which hosts the US Fifth Fleet in the Persian Gulf, al-Ahmed stated.

"The Saudis are very angry with the Qataris… The Saudis won’t ever let Yemen have its independence… Bahrain hates Qatar," he noted.

Saudi Arabia’s leaders were determined to reduce Qatar to becoming a subservient satellite of Riyadh and reduced to servile dependence like the current government in Yemen, al-Ahmed explained.

The Saudis have two goals: First, to get Qatar into a subservient relationship that is comparable to slave labor. There are to be no half measures.
Second, the Saudis are eyeing the massive Qatari reserves of cash. They want it," he said.

The current Saudi leadership was reverting to the principles of robbery and piracy by which the nation’s father, King Abdelaziz ibn Saud created the Desert Kingdom more than a century ago, al-Ahmed pointed out.

Saudi Arabia was a state founded on the principle of robbery and looting. That is what the al-Saud originally were: They were desert raiders and looters. They were desert pirates. Now they desperately need money again," he stated.

President Donald Trump had made clear to the Saudis he expected them to pay far larger sums directly and indirectly to the United States to finance their defense, increasing the fiscal burdens on Riyadh, al-Ahmed observed.

"The Saudis need money right and left. Now Trump has made new financial demands on them: They will run out of money. With all those commitments they are desperate for fresh infusions of cash," he said.

The Saudis remained determined to have a leadership in Qatar that is totally submissive to them, al-Ahmed concluded.

The Qatari government reportedly paid $1 billion to Iranian Shia militants and the Tahrir al-Sham terrorist group (a Syrian affiliate of al-Qaeda) to release the members of the nation’s royal family they were holding hostage.

Qatar Reportedly Paid al-Qaeda Branch, Shia Militants to Return Royal Hostages
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706061054362226-qatar-paid-ransom-to-militants-royal/

A total of 26 members of the Qatari royal family were allegedly locked up by the Kataib Hezbollah militants in Iran after they were kidnapped in 2015 while on hunting trip in Iraq, the Financial Times newspaper reported Monday, citing sources on both sides of the hostage deal.

According to the newspaper, after almost two years of negotiations, Doha allegedly decided to pay some $700 million to the Iranian Shia militants groups, and between $200 million and $300 million was paid to the Islamist groups in Syria, mostly to the Tahrir al-Sham.

Qatar’s deal with militant groups angered its neighbors in the Persian Gulf. The discontent ultimately lead to most of Gulf nations to sever diplomatic ties with Doha on Monday, as they considered Qatar's payment an excuse to finance extremists and terrorists in the region, the newspaper reported.

The Financial Times added that although this particular case was not the only reason for the escalation of the diplomatic rift on Monday, it certainly became one of the final straws for the Gulf states; their dissatisfaction with Qatar paying money to the Iranian groups, and strained relations with Iran over differences of positions on a range of regional conflicts were other factors that inevitably led a diplomatic crisis.

On June 5, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates severed diplomatic relations with Qatar. The states accused Qatar of supporting terrorist groups, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist movement, as well as of interfering in other countries' domestic affairs. Libya made a similar decision. Yemen cut diplomatic relations citing Doha's links with Houthis. The Maldives took the same step, citing extremism and terrorism concerns.

The row between the countries intensified one week after the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, when the Qatari news agency posted a speech supporting the building relations with Iran on behalf of the country's emir. Afterwards, the official representative of the Qatari Foreign Ministry said that the agency's site was hacked and the emir's speech was published by hackers and had nothing to do with the Qatari leader.

Global oil prices jumped over the rapid rise in tensions in the Middle East on Monday, but then went into reverse, with Brent crude hitting $49.17 per barrel. Sputnik Radio talked to Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at CFD and FX provider AxiTrader, to find out how the regional diplomatic row might affect world oil and gas prices.

Qatari Conflict: 'Proxy Battle Between Iran and Saudis Going to the Next Level'
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706061054357604-qatar-row-oil-gas/

Qatar is one of the member countries of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), hence the unprecedented diplomatic row between Doha and Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which initially cut ties with the country, has instantly drawn the world’s attention to the oil-producing region, sending shockwaves through the oil markets.

The standoff did not affect the supply of oil, but it creates a risk of interruptions in the export of raw materials from the region.

Qatar's oil output is one of the OPEC's smallest, but experts say that this situation could affect the agreement to cut production in order to support global prices.

Experts also say that investors have doubts about the competence of OPEC in maintaining the balance in the oil market, while crude oil prices remain under pressure and oil production in the US is growing.

Sputnik Radio discussed the issue with Greg McKenna, chief market strategist at CFD and FX provider AxiTrader.

"It is a very interesting geopolitical plight, which is coming up to President Trump's being to the region and the broken bridge with the Saudis. It is got to be viewed in this context. Essentially what we've got is this proxy battle between Iran and the Saudis which is going to the next level," he told Sputnik.

"I think that Iran, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and any of the OPEC members will do well in trying and keep the production going because the difficult situation of all these countries was dire twelve months ago and it has only started to repair over a quarter of the year," the expert added.

"The fall in the oil prices reflects the reality: we seem to be in the bear market for oil at the moment where trade is questioning the ability of OPEC to achieve its goals. Saudi Oil Minister Khalid Al-Falih said over the weekend that perhaps they will comeback in July with more caps. But the market seems to have a feeling now that all it is actually going to do is open the way for more North American production and in particular US shale oil," Greg McKenna suggested.

The expert also commented on how the standoff might affect the balance of power within OPEC.

"It is a question of a physical situation between the Saudis and the rest of the group relative to the ongoing battle between the two Middle Eastern superpowers of Iran and Saudi Arabia and whether it becomes something larger. At the moment it is sending a signal that it is not going to expand and that is possibly why oil has reversed from its highs on the Asian market," he suggested.

Suggesting what possible response from Qatar it might trigger, the expert said that Qatar is not the largest economy or country in the region.

It can probably get Al Jazeera to step up the propaganda a bit more. But it’s not in a position to do much, as it is a proxy as opposed to anything more concrete, he said.

It is highly unlikely that Iran will step in and confront those four countries which initially severed their ties with Qatar, on behalf of Doha, as it is facing many internal issues in the follow up to the recent presidential elections, he concluded.

 

[angelburst29]

Shortly after imposing a naval blockade in the immediate aftermath of the Qatar diplomatic crisis, one which left the small Gulf nation not only politically isolated and with severed ties to its neighbors but potentially locked out of maritime trade and crippling its oil and LNG exports, on Tuesday SkyNews Arabia reported that Saudi Arabia has given Qatar a 24 hours ultimatum, starting tonight, to fulfill 10 conditions that have been conveyed to Kuwait, which is currently involved in the role of a mediator between Saudi and Qatar.

Saudi Arabia Gives Qatar 24 Hour Ultimatum As Analysts Warn Of “Military Confrontation”
http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-06-06/saudi-arabia-gives-qatar-24-hour-ultimatum-analysts-warn-military-confrontation

According to media report, among the key demands by Saudi Arabia is that Qatar end all ties Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.

While there was little additional information on the Ultimatum and more importantly what happens should Qatar not comply, Al Jazeera reported that Kuwait’s emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, left Saudi Arabia on Tuesday after holding mediation talks with the Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz to try to defuse an escalating crisis between Arab countries and Qatar. No details were given on the talks.

In addition to Saudi Arabia’s aggressive approach, Egypt’s Foreign Ministry accused Qatar of taking an “antagonist approach” towards Cairo and said “all attempts to stop it from supporting terrorist groups failed”. Qatar denied the allegations, with a Foreign Ministry statement describing them as “baseless” on Monday.

Speaking to Al Jazeera, analyst Giorgio Cafiero of Gulf State Analytics, a geopolitical risk consultancy based in Washington, DC, said: “I think the Kuwaitis as well as Omanis … fear the prospects of these tensions escalating in ways which could undermine the interest of all six members of the GCC.

“There are many analysts who believe that a potential break-up of the GCC has to be considered right now.”

“If these countries fail to resolve their issues and such tensions reaches new heights, we have to be very open to the possibility of these six Arab countries no longer being able to unite under the banner of one council,” said Cafiero.

He added that if tension escalates, some have warned of a “military confrontation”.

 

[angelburst29]

Trump's harsh words for the Qataris were a departure from his rhetoric during his visit to Saudi Arabia, when he met with Qatar's emir and called the relationship "extremely good."

Trump Claims Credit For Saudi, Qatar Rift
http://www.mintpressnews.com/trump-sides-with-saudi-arabia-in-riff-against-qatar/228566/

June 6, 2017 - President Donald Trump sided with Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries Tuesday in a deepening diplomatic crisis with Qatar, appearing to endorse the accusation that the oil-rich Persian Gulf nation is funding terrorist groups.

Trump, in a series of early-morning tweets, sought to cast the rift between Qatar and its neighbors as a victory for his trip last month to Saudi Arabia, where he met with leaders from dozens of Arab and Muslim nations, including Qatar’s emir. Trump said he’d stated during his trip that funding of “Radical Ideology” can’t be tolerated, and added, “Leaders pointed to Qatar – look!”

“They said they would take a hard line on funding … extremism, and all reference was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!” Trump said, arguing that his visit to Saudi Arabia was “already paying off.” Qatar denies supporting extremism.

The president’s sharp critique of Qatar, which is home to a major U.S. military base, inserted Washington directly into the crisis that has pitted the tiny country against Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Those countries announced Monday they were cutting diplomatic ties with Qatar, a move that ricocheted across the region as airlines suspended flights, ports closed to Qatari ships and anxious residents started stockpiling food.

Only a day earlier, Trump’s secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, had adopted the opposite approach, calling for calm, while avoiding taking sides. During a news conference in Australia, Tillerson said the U.S. was encouraging the countries “to sit down together” and address irritants that he said had “bubbled up” for some time.

“If there’s any role that we can play in terms of helping them address those, we think it is important that the GCC remains unified,” Tillerson said, referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council, a regional club of nations.

It was unclear how Trump’s broadside against Qatar and any resulting diplomatic fallout might affect the U.S. military presence in Qatar, where there are roughly 10,000 American troops and a major U.S. base. Another question was whether the mounting crisis would impede regional unity on fighting the Islamic State group and other extremist threats in the region, although U.S. military and diplomatic officials have thus far insisted they anticipate no change to cooperation on those efforts.

Qatar’s neighbors have long accused the country of tolerating or even encouraging support for extremist groups, including al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, formerly called the Nusra Front. Those nations have also objected to Qatari support for Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, whose political ideology challenges the system of hereditary rule in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and other nations.

Trump’s harsh words for the Qataris were a departure from his rhetoric during his visit to Saudi Arabia, when he met with Qatar’s emir and called the relationship “extremely good.”

“We are friends, we’ve been friends now for a long time, haven’t we?” Trump said at the meeting.

A former CIA officer has told Sputnik in an interview that US President Trump's decision to support Saudi-led blockade of Qatar "will produce nothing but bad results."

Trump's Support for Blockade of Qatar 'Will Produce Nothing but Bad Results'
https://sputniknews.com/middleeast/201706071054383728-trump-qatar-blockade-support-bad-results/

President Donald Trump has made a serious mistake by picking a needless fight with the pro-American Arab Gulf state of Qatar even though it permits Washington to operate its main air base in the area, former CIA officer Phil Giraldi told Sputnik.

"Now Washington is squarely in the middle of a fight that it didn't have to involve itself in on behalf of a repressive and scarcely friendly client state [Saudi Arabia], an intervention that will produce nothing but bad results," Giraldi, a former CIA case officer and US Army intelligence officer, said.

Trump has publicly expressed support for Saudi Arabia which, along with Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, has cut off all ties with Qatar.

Giraldi noted the sudden rise in tensions between Saudi Arabia and Qatar had caught regional analysts by surprise.

"I am mystified both by the actions being taken and also the timing, but I am most concerned by the initiative taken by the White House in coming down against Qatar in this dispute with Saudi Arabia and even claiming credit for the Trump visit having encouraged what has developed," he said.

The US authorities were aware of the support granted by Qatar and Saudi Arabia to the terrorist operating in the Mideast countries, the leaked e-mail of ex-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton published by WikiLeaks whistleblowing platform showed.

Giraldi said the US decision to focus on Qatar for promoting terror when it hosted a major US base in the region did not make sense as it ignored the role the Saudis played in funding extreme Islamists.

"If the intention was to stop terrorism support, going after only one of the parties involved would seem to be wrongheaded, particularly if that party is simultaneously doing you a favor by supporting your major military installation," he said.

Both Saudi Arabia and Qatar had generously funded Islamist extremists and the US government had known about it for a long time, Giraldi acknowledged.

It is well known in intelligence circles that Qatar does indeed support terrorists, but so does Saudi Arabia and Saudi Arabia is uniquely responsible for creating the particularly nasty form of Islam referred to as Wahhabism which serves to legitimize the terror groups," Giraldi stated.

Qatar continues to host the al-Udeid airbase, the largest in the Middle East, which is home to 10,000 US servicemen and serves as a major communications and operational center for Washington in the region, Giraldi pointed out.

"Compared to Saudi Arabia it is also a beacon of tolerance and individual freedom," he added.

Philip Giraldi is executive director of the Council for the National Interest, a group that advocates more even-handed US government policies in the Middle East.

Officials from Turkey's ruling AK Party and the nationalist opposition said the country's parliament is expected to fast track on Wednesday existing legislation to allow its troops to be deployed to a Turkish military base in Qatar, media reports said.

Turkey to Fast Track Legislation Approving Troop Deployment in Qatar
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960317001289

The move appears to support the Arab country at a time it faces diplomatic and trade isolation from some of the biggest Middle Eastern powers, Daily Mail reported.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain severed relations with Qatar and closed their airspace to commercial flights on Monday, charging it with financing militant groups.

Qatar vehemently denies the accusations. It is the worst split between powerful Arab states in decades.

Earlier, Turkish newspaper Hurriyet qouted a top Turkish official as saying that the Turkish military base in Qatar will be headquartered in Doha and lead by Qatari-Turkish generals,

“Within the framework of the agreement, it is envisaged that a joint Turkish-Qatar divisional tactical headquarters should be established, that its place should be in Doha, that the commander of the unit is to be a major general and a Qatari, and that the commander assistant is to be a brigadier and Turkish,” said Defense Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Major Ihsan Bülbül after sessions at thre country's parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission.

Stating that the number of troops to be deployed will be 500 to 600, Bülbül said Qatar also requests the sending of units in Turkey with a flexible structure to allow them to be transferred to Qatar if needed.

“There was also a meeting on April 19 about where this unit would be deployed and what would be the breadth of the area, but there was no response from the other side. There is a demand for further expansion due to the narrowness of the proposed area,” he added.

“There is also a request for a course to be given to the deployed unit on explosive substance disposal. It is therefore planned that a training staff with 25 to 30 people will be established and training will be provided there,” Bülbül said.

Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Istanbul deputy Oğuz Kaan Salıcı criticized the plan, saying the agreement is “arbitrary in nature.”

 

[angelburst29]

Saudi whistle-blower Mujtahid, who is believed to be a member of or have a well-connected source in the royal family, disclosed that Saudi Deputy Crown Prince and Defense Minister Mohammad bin Salman and Supreme Commander of UAE's Union Defense Force Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan have slammed the Saudi intelligence ministry for providing wrong intel about Qatar.

Whistle-Blower: Riyadh, Abu Dhabi Rebuke Saudi Intelligence Ministry for Wrong Intel on Qatar
http://en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13960316001529

According to Mujtahid, the Saudi intelligence ministry had estimated a huge loss for Qatar following a severance by Riyadh and its allies of ties with Doha but the developments showed that Qatar had prepared itself for these days.

"Bin Salman and Bin Zayed had thought that (Qatari Emir) Tamim (bin Hamad Al Thani) will make concessions within 24 hours but the response that they received was challenge and continued release of the emails of the (UAE's) ambassador (to the United States, Yousef al-Otaiba) and other cases," he added.

According to reports, Riyadh and its regional allies had overestimated the negative impacts of closing their airspaces to Qatari planes, underestimating Doha's remaining option to use Iran's airspace by rerouting its flights.

Qatar Airways canceled flights to Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates from Tuesday a day after it had suspended flights to Saudi Arabia.

Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut off diplomatic ties with Qatar on Monday, and suspended air and sea communication one week after the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh. Later, Libya and the Maldives joined that list of nation that break off diplomatic relations with Doha.

Qatar protested the unjustified decision of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates to cut ties with the country.

"We regret the decision to sever relations," the Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that "these measures are unjustified, they are based on assertions without foundation."

"The State of Qatar is an active member of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the [Persian] Gulf [GCC], respects its charter, respects the sovereignty of other states and does not interfere in their internal affairs, and also fulfills its obligations to combat terrorism and extremism," the ministry stressed.