- Title: Tillerson urges Arab states to lift Qatar 'land blockade'
- Date: 21st July 2017
- Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (JULY 21, 2017) (STATE TV - Broadcasters: NONE Digital: NONE) ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON AND OMAN FOREIGN MINISTER YUSUF BIN ALAWI BIN ABDULLAH APPROACHING TILLERSON AND ALAWI SHAKING HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON, IN AN EXCHANGE WITH A REPORTER, SAYING: TILLERSON: "Your Excellency, welcome to the State Department. It's a pleasure to have you here." REPORTER: "Mr. Secretary, are you supportive of the progress (unintelligible)?" TILLERSON: "Well, I think as a follow-on to our trip over there last week, there has been some, I think, positive movement. The Qataris have continued to move forward on the MoU (memoranda of understanding) that the U.S. and Qatar entered into to address many of the terrorism, terror financing, counterterrorism concerns that people have. And, they have been very aggressive in implementing that agreement. So we're--, I think we're satisfied with the effort they're putting forth. I think they also have indicated a willingness to sit with the four parties and negotiate, discuss the demands. I think they have indicated they think it's important that the sovereignty and dignity of all five countries be respected in those discussions. And so, what I hope the four countries will consider, as a sign of good faith: lifting this land blockade, which is really having the most, I think, negative effects on the Qatari people. And, that would be a good--, I think a good sign if the four countries would do that. And, I'm hopeful they would consider that seriously. REPORTER: "(Unintelligible) the four countries so far?" TILLERSON: "I hope they will begin to take some positive action. Thank you." TILLERSON AND ALAWI WALKING OFF
- Embargoed: 4th August 2017 15:09
- Keywords: Rex Tillerson Qatar Oman Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah Saudi Arabia Gulf
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Diplomacy/Foreign Policy,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0016QNVPZB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Friday (July 21) the United States was satisfied with Qatar's efforts to implement an agreement aimed at combating terror financing, and urged Arab states to lift a "land blockade" on the tiny Gulf nation.
Tillerson shuttled between Gulf countries last week to convince them to help ease the worst regional dispute in years but left the region without any firm signs the feud would be resolved soon.
Last month, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar, accusing it of financing extremist groups and allying with the Gulf Arab states' arch-foe Iran. Qatar denies the allegations.
The countries made 13 demands of Qatar - including that it shuts down a Turkish military base and the Al Jazeera pan-Arab television network - which Doha has rejected.
While in the Gulf, Tillerson signed an accord with Qatar on terrorism financing in a bid to ease the crisis, but Qatar's opponents said it fell short of addressing their concerns.
"They have been very aggressive in implementing that agreement, so I think we're satisfied with the effort they're putting forth," Tillerson told reporters just before meeting with Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah at the State Department.
Tillerson said Qatar was willing to sit with the four countries to discuss their demands, but that it was important to Doha "that the sovereignty and dignity of all five countries be respected in those discussions."
In a move to counter the four states' accusations, Qatar has set rules for defining terrorism, freezing funding and terrorism financing and established national terrorism lists.
In one of the first positive signs from the four Arab states since they imposed the sanctions last month, the United Arab Emirates on Friday welcomed Qatar's decision to amend its anti-terrorism laws.
The four states cut diplomatic, transport and commercial ties with Qatar on June 5, disrupting the import of food and other items and causing foreign banks to scale back business with Qatar.
"I hope the four countries will consider as a sign of good faith lifting this land blockade which is really having the most, I think, negative effects on the Qatari people," Tillerson said. - Copyright Holder: STATE DEPARTMENT TV
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2017. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
