His Excellency Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, Bahrain’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, said that the Qatari authorities have not yet shown any sign of resolving the outstanding issues with Bahrain, or in response to direct negotiations on those files, stressing that Qatar remains to deal with the requirements of the Gulf consensus, take into account Bahrain’s strategic interests, and speed up the handling of outstanding issues between the two countries in order to ensure sound and positive relations between the two countries in the future.
This was in response to a question from MP Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Sisi al-Buainin, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs, Defence and National Security Committee of the House of Representatives, about the extent to which Bahrain responded to the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar, about sending a Qatari delegation to start bilateral discussions between the two sides on the outstanding issues and topics between the two countries, in order to activate the statement of Alala issued by the 41st session of the Supreme Council of Cooperation held in Ala, Saudi Arabia, and to reach the lofty goals we aspire to achieve for the benefit sought by the two brother countries and to promote the joint work of the two
countries.
His Excellency the Minister of Foreign Affairs stressed that the Kingdom of Bahrain, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, is a state of long-standing institutions and traditions that believe in Gulf integration, and that the Kingdom, from this firm point of view, welcomed the issuance of the Al Ula Statement as a new stage for regional stability, and that Bahrain has provided goodwill as a prelude to removing the damage it has suffered over the last decades as a result of Qatari policies.
The Foreign Minister explained that based on the decisions of the Al Ula statement, the Bahraini Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a written letter to the Foreign Minister of Qatar, including an invitation to send an official delegation to Bahrain as soon as possible, to begin bilateral talks on outstanding issues and issues between the two sides, but to date, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not received a response or answer from the Qatari side on the letter mentioned.
Al-Zayani noted that Qatar has not taken any clear measures regarding the activation of the provisions of the Al-Ula Statement, with regard to the claims of the Kingdom of Bahrain, and in this context, it should be noted that the Kingdom of Bahrain, which is proud to chair the current session of the Gulf Cooperation Council, looks forward to a new course in relations with Qatar that takes into account the rights and interests of each country, through clear mechanisms to make relations more balanced and stable.
His Excellency Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs, stressed that Bahrain abides by the agreements and covenants, including the Statement of Alala, in addition to the above-mentioned letter, civil aviation affairs announced the continuation of flights between the two countries, as before, as before the invitation of the Distinguished Council of Ministers to negotiate bilaterally directly with Qatar, to reach an agreement on the continuity of allowing fishermen in both countries to operate as is customary.
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Cover image credit: Asharq Al-Awsat
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