Qatar isolated under mounting pressure from GCC members

Qatar's isolation is a fait accompli as the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has started to mount pressure on the tiny country with decision to shift the scheduled high-level meetings from Doha to Riyadh.

The UAE and other sisterly GCC states have also named the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, representative of all the GCC countries at the upcoming meeting with the US President Barack Obama, who is slated to visit the Saudi capital Riyadh on Friday, March 28.

Dubai-based Arabic daily Emarat Al Youm quoted GCC sources as saying that the foreign ministers in the member countries had decided to move any scheduled meetings of the GCC and its agencies from Doha to Riyadh, while observers expected the cancellation of the GCC meetings during this period of time, which sees tension and rift among the member states.

The report said the step came in the wake of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain pulling out their ambassadors from Qatar as Doha continues to practice a policy annoying its neighbouring countries. It also refused in February to sign the executive mechanism for Riyadh meeting, which was signed by the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani last November.

The report quoted the sources as saying the GCC Coast Guard meeting slated for Monday this week in Doha was not held.

The GCC measure carries a clear message related to the future of the Qatari presence, in form and substance, in the GCC institutions, unless it (Doha) speeds up and declares its literal commitment to the Riyadh agreement, and agrees to the executive mechanism by conducting tangible procedures and measures.

Riyadh agreement calls for not-stop support, naturalize or host the GCC opposition, halt supporting the Muslim Brotherhood as well as stop backing any party in Yemen that can cause damage to the interests of the GCC states, the report said.

GCC diplomatic sources told the Sharjah-based Arabic daily Al Khaleej that the stance of Qatar had impeded a pre-planned meeting between all leaders of the member countries with Obama during his visit to Riyadh on March 28.

Therefore, the sisterly countries had decided to name the Saudi monarch as representative of all the GCC members at the meeting with the American president, the sources reiterated.

“The GCC wanted to face the US president at this crucial stage, which is full of events and changes at regional and global levels, with one stand and harmonious voice,” the source said.

“The outcome of Qatar’s policies over the past years had resulted in its isolation at this point, and warned of the consequences of Qatar’s continuing in its erroneous polices which may cause rift in the ranks and set a fertile ground for sedition, extremism and terrorism that poses a threat to the GCC security, especially the concept of collective security.”

Those following up the courses of the US foreign policy in Washington said the Obama administration is well aware of that after being informed of what is going on.

news@khaleejtimes.com