Tag Archives: Qatar
Qatar defends Turkey's northern Syria operation
Qatar defended its close ally Turkey’s controversial operation against Kurdish forces in northern Syria on Tuesday, saying Ankara had acted against an “imminent threat”. Turkey has helped Qatar weather the effects of a two-year regional economic embargo led by Riyadh over claims of support for Iran and Islamist extremism, denied by Doha.
Qatar says French missile found among arms seized in Italy was sold 25 years ago
A French missile once owned by Qatar’s military and found among a huge arsenal of weapons seized in Italy was sold by Qatar 25 years ago to a third country, Qatar’s foreign ministry told Reuters on Tuesday. Italian police said on Monday that a French-made Matra air-to-air missile belonging to Qatar’s armed forces was discovered during raids on neo-Nazi sympathizers. In a statement to Reuters, Qatar said the missile was part of a larger weapons sale made to a third “friendly” country 25 years earlier, though it did not identify the third country.
US deploys F-22 stealth fighters to Qatar amid Iran tensions
The US has deployed F-22 stealth fighters to Qatar for the first time, its military said Friday, adding to a buildup of US forces in the Gulf amid tensions with Iran. The Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters have been deployed “to defend American forces and interests,” the US Air Forces Central Military Command said in a statement that did not specify how many of the hi-tech planes had been sent. A photo handout showed five of the jets flying above the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Qatar sends technical experts to Israel, eyeing new Gaza power line
Hamas refuses to let Qatar pay Gaza salaries
In November Qatar began a six-month, $ 150 million program to fund the wages and shipments of fuel for power generation in Gaza. The staggered payments, widely seen as a Qatari bid to increase its regional role, need Israel’s permission to get through – an involvement that has riled many among Hamas’ Islamist leadership. Khalil Al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official in Gaza, said on Thursday Israel had broken previous agreements brokered by Qatar and Egypt.
Taliban say they hold talks with U.S. Afghan envoy in Qatar
KABUL/PESHAWAR,Pakistan (Reuters) – The Taliban met U.S. special envoy Zalmay Khalilzad in Qatar on Monday, the militant group said, days after threatening to pull out of Afghan peace talks and hours after Taliban fighters killed more than 100 members of the Afghan security forces. “Talks between Taliban leaders and U.S. officials have started today in Qatar,” Taliban spokesman Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement.
Qatar Ruler Says Talks With Saudi Begin Only When Embargo Lifted
“Our position on the solution hasn’t changed,” Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said at a conference in Doha on Saturday. Last week, Sheikh Tamim spurned an invitation from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman to attend a gathering of Gulf monarchies, which was seen as a sign of thawing relations after 18 months of Qatar’s boycott by the kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt. The overture came as Saudi Arabia sought to defuse pressure over the killing of a vocal critic in Istanbul.
Qatar emir skips Saudi-hosted summit with Gulf rivals
Qatar’s emir skipped a summit in Saudi Arabia on Sunday with fellow Arab Gulf leaders whose boycott of the small but energy-flush neighbour has sparked a major regional diplomatic row. Riyadh is hosting the annual gathering as crises rumble on over the 18-month-old dispute with Doha, the war in Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s consulate in Istanbul. The regional powerhouse had invited Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to attend the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council talks, but the foreign ministry in Doha said he would not go.
Qatar may benefit from Khashoggi fallout: analysts
Global diplomatic fallout from the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia’s Istanbul consulate may help Qatar in its political stand-off with the kingdom, experts said. The backlash may force Riyadh to ease sweeping sanctions imposed on Doha since the dispute erupted between the former Gulf allies in June 2017. The killing of Khashoggi — who was critical of the Saudi government and its blockade of Qatar — may convince sceptics that Doha’s claims of Saudi “aggression” were justified, according to analysts.
Qatar Airways commits to Iran flights despite sanctions
US sanctions on Iran will not impact Qatar Airways’ flights to the Islamic republic, the airline’s boss Akbar al-Baker said on Monday. Speaking at a high-profile business conference in the Qatari capital Doha, Baker said services to Iran would continue despite a tightening economic and political squeeze on Iran by Washington. “Aviation is not a sanctioned industry, Qatar Airways will continue to operate into the cities we are currently operating in Iran,” he said.
