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Saudi FM Says Qatar Policies on Supporting Extremist Groups Must Change | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir speaks during a news conference after a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow, Russia, August 11, 2015. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov/File Photo


Paris- Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir on Tuesday said that Qatar needs to take a number of steps to guarantee relinquishing its support for Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood should it wish to reestablish ties with the major Arab powers that had severed their relations with the Gulf country on Monday.

Jubeir said Qatar knew exactly what to do to restore relations with Riyadh and its Arab allies.

“We want to see Qatar implement the promises it made a few years back regarding its support of extremist groups, its hostile media and interference in affairs of other countries,” Jubeir told reporters in Paris.

“Nobody wants to hurt Qatar. It has to choose whether it must move in one direction or another direction”.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Bahrain and several other countries on Monday severed all ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

“We took this step with great pain so that it understands that these policies are not sustainable and must change,” Jubeir said.

Jubeir added that Qatar was undermining the Palestinian Authority and Egypt in its support of Hamas and the Muslim brotherhood.

“We don’t think this is good. Qatar has to stop these policies so that it can contribute to stability in the Middle East,” he said.

“We believe that common sense and logic will convince Qatar to take the right steps.”

He said the “fairly large cost” on Qatar’s economy would convince it to change its policies.

Jubeir held talks with his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian in Paris.  French President Emmanuel Macron had recently named Le Drian Minster for Europe and Foreign Affairs. 

Upon his appointment, Le Drian invited Jubeir so that they go over bilateral relations, means of enhancing them and joint efforts exerted to combat terrorism and extremism, in addition to the developments on the regional and international arenas.

Hot topics like finding a political solution for Syria and regime head Bashar al-Assad stepping down from power and how important it is for a healthy political transition were discussed.