Qatar is seeking international arbitration to end the blockade imposed by three of its Gulf neighbours and Egypt, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported Thursday morning.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lulwah al-Khater made the announcement on Wednesday, days after a UN report said the Saudi-led blockade on Qatar is “arbitrary and negatively impacting the people of the region.”
“The report of UN technical mission from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) which has come from a neutral international body is satisfactory, comprehensive and has included important points,” al-Khater was cited by QNA as saying.
The spokesperson said the UN report proved that the Saudi-led blockade were only directed at Qatari government. She also said that Qatar is still hoping to resolve the crisis through dialogue and diplomatic channels.
In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain had severed their ties with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism, in an unprecedented breach between the most powerful members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Reuters reported.
The coordinated move dramatically escalated the dispute over Qatar’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood, the world’s oldest movement, and added accusations that Doha even backed the agenda of regional arch-rival Iran, stated Reuters.
The three Gulf states even closed off transport and diplomatic ties with Qatar.Qatari visitors and residents were given a few weeks to leave their countries. Qatar was also no longer considered part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen.
Qatar has denied all the charges of it’s backing for terrorism.
