Chinese Ambassador to the UN: Security Council Does Not Intend to Intervene in Qatar Issue

The Chinese representative at the United Nations has stated that the Security Council has informed Qatar that it does not intend to intervene in the diplomatic crisis that has arisen between Doha and Saudi Arabia and its allies, and that they must resolve this issue themselves. Liu Jie, the representative of the People's Republic of China at the UN, conveyed the message that the UN Security Council will not interfere in the recent tensions. Last week, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, the Qatari Foreign Minister, met with members of the UN Security Council and reportedly discussed the severance of relations with Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the UAE, as well as the resulting disputes. Liu Jie, the Chinese ambassador to the UN, which currently holds the rotating presidency of the Security Council, stated on July 3 that the best way forward is through 'negotiation' among the Arab countries themselves: 'The best way would be for the countries to cooperate through dialogue and negotiation to find a solution, as we see no other option.' This senior Chinese diplomat emphasized that Beijing welcomes any approach that ultimately leads to thawing relations among countries and a return to good neighborliness. Concurrently, the German Foreign Minister has also stated that the best way to resolve the issues between Qatar and the four Arab countries should be to achieve a 'comprehensive agreement in the region to prevent the financing of terrorism.' Sigmar Gabriel met in Riyadh with Adel al-Jubeir, the Saudi Foreign Minister, and also mentioned that in his view, other Arab governments no longer intend to question Qatar's sovereignty. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the UAE had given Qatar until midnight Sunday to comply with their 13 demands, which include reducing relations with Iran, ending the activities of Al Jazeera, and dismantling Turkish military bases. Riyadh and its allies have extended their deadline by two more days, although the Qatari Foreign Minister traveled to Kuwait on Monday and submitted Doha's response to these demands to the Emir of Kuwait, the mediator among these countries. In this context, Qatar has expressed its readiness to negotiate with the Arab countries on 'legitimate issues' and emphasized the important role of the United States in resolving the crisis among the Gulf Arab states.