In comments to Gulf Times on the occasion of the Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov’s visit to Qatar, al-Attiyah said Moscow has resisted pressure from Saudi Arabia and the UAE to take a biased stand against Qatar.
“Russia has been following the principle of ‘positive neutrality’ that advocates constructive dialogue to find solutions to disagreement between parties,” he told Gulf Times.
“Some countries, a very few of them, were blackmailed into severing ties with Qatar but the rest of the world has withstood pressure and called for talks to solve the dispute,” the envoy said.
Asked about the Russian minister’s trip, he said Lavrov’s visit comes in the framework of strengthening bilateral relations and efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis.
“Lavrov has expressed Russian support for Kuwaiti mediation, which calls for dialogue to end the dispute and he has urged the siege countries to pursue talks without further violating international rules.” According to al-Attiyah, the message coming out of the visit of the Russian foreign minister ‘is loud and clear’ to Qatar’s neighbours. “They have to eschew the path of confrontation and follow the way of reconciliation. The international community is giving them a chance to solve this problem peacefully through dialogue; if they fail, then the rest of the world will initiate steps to resolve the matter through internationally accepted principles of peaceful co-existence.”
Qatar’s ambassador to Russia said the Saudi-led blockade of Qatar is nearing 100 days. “But Qatar is moving ahead steadily; rather it has strengthened international relations and built new alliances. The world is a far bigger place than the four countries (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain , the UAE and Egypt). Qatar will not compromise on its territorial integrity and sovereignty. Qatar will continue to strive for a brighter , safer future for its people,” he added.
