Cairo, Asharq Al-Awsat- As the Qatari-sponsored crisis talks between rival Lebanese leaders wind down, Yemeni Foreign Minister Abu-Bakr al-Qirbi who attended the Doha meetings told Asharq Al-Awsat about “annoying difficulties” facing the committee’s work and said “we need another meeting with the Lebanese parties.”

Al-Qirbi stressed in a contact with Asharq Al-Awsat following his return to Sanaa that “the Arab ministerial committee is facing annoying difficulties, especially in the issue of elections” and added “no solution has been reached on it so far.” He noted that he left Doha because of his commitments in Sanaa concerning the conference on immigration and refugees and said he left the Yemeni ambassador in Doha as his representative. He said the same thing applied to the participating Arab foreign ministers, adding that their departure from Doha had nothing to do with a feeling of frustration or despair because of the difficulties facing the committee and the Lebanese dialogue in Qatar. He said, “The dialogue efforts are continuing but their positive results depend on the interlocutors’ patience.”

Regarding media reports that the solution decision is in the hands of the United States and Iran and not the ministerial committee, the Yemeni minister commented, “You know better than us but I still adhere to the issue of patience and continuing the efforts especially as all want a solution.” He concluded, “The ministerial committee’s work should continue and it must set a date for continuing its work when the first round of the dialogue ends.”