Qatar summons German ambassador over minister's Fifa World Cup comments

Qatar on Friday summoned Germany's ambassador to protest comments made by a minister casting doubt on whether the Gulf state should host the football World Cup.

Comments by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser were "unacceptable and provocative" and required a "clarification", Qatar's foreign ministry said.

A letter handed to the ambassador highlighted Qatar's "complete rejection" of Faeser's comments, who had been due to visit Qatar on Monday.

This is the first time a foreign ambassador has been summoned over such comments.

Faeser, in an interview with the ARD network aired Thursday, said that Qatar's hosting of the World Cup next month was "very tricky" for Germany.