There is a general feeling in the Arab region that Europe is not doing enough on important Middle East issues, despite its ability to play a bigger role, especially in the siege of Qatar, the Syrian issue and what is happening in Libya and other parts of the region, HE the foreign minister’s special envoy for Counterterrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution Dr Mutlaq bin Majed al-Qahtani said yesterday.
Taking part in a session on “Polarisation in the Middle East and North Africa: What is the European role?” held at the Doha Forum yesterday, Dr al-Qahtani said that the European role is not as effective as it should be. He added that there is a lack of stability on a common foreign policy in the EU, pointing out that the Europeans have isolated themselves by the lack of harmony among themselves and the lack of effective positions on issues central to the world, despite the great potentials, values and established principles they have.
Dr al-Qahtani pointed out that the European Union has played proactive roles in many countries of the world, but their positions in the Middle East and North Africa are volatile according to interests, explaining that sometimes EU takes a position as strong and fast as what happened with Iran, but the position on the heinous crimes committed in Istanbul were not as expected in accordance with their principles of human rights and the protection of freedoms, neither they were on the Syrian crisis and the Palestinian cause.
The foreign minister’s special envoy for Counterterrorism and Mediation of Conflict Resolution stressed that European national and security interests are at stake and the EU cannot evade its responsibilities to the issues of migration, refugees and armed conflicts in the Middle East because everyone is in danger.
On the Gulf crisis, he said that Qatar is strong, united and dealing well with this crisis, while also taking part in fighting terrorism around the world, relief and humanitarian work, developing poor communities, removing obstacles to political solutions in conflict areas and co-operating with friends and allies from around the world.
HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani with Somalia’s Prime Minister Hassan Ali Khayre; Maria Fernanda Espinosa Garces, President of the United Nations General Assembly; Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor-Viorel Melescanu; and Wolfgang Ischinger Chairman, Munich Security Conference, at the Doha Forum panel discussion.
