Qatar will not change its relations with Iran and Turkey after signing an agreement with Saudi Arabia and its allies to break the isolation that had lasted since 2017.
Lo sceicco Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al Thani, Qatar's foreign minister, said that "Doha has agreed to cooperate with the other Gulf countries only on counter-terrorism and “transnational security. Bilateral relations are mainly guided by a sovereign decision of the country in the sign of the national interest. So there is no effect on our relations with any other country ”. Sheikh Mohammed also said there will be no changes on Al Jazeera.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt at the base of the embargo had denounced Doha's ties with Iran and Turkey, as well as support for Islamist movements such as the Muslim Brotherhood. They then submitted 13 requests to Doha which included the closure of Al Jazeera, the Qatar-funded satellite television network, the containment of ties with Iran, the closure of a Turkish base and the end of all military cooperation with Ankara.
Saudi Arabia this week opened its land, sea and air border with its neighbor, in the perception that the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, the leader of the kingdom, wanted to resolve the rift to gain credibility with the new Biden administration.
"It is hoped that within a week of signing things can return to normal"Sheikh Mohammed said. All states have been "winners" in the wake of this week's agreement, but he acknowledged that it may take some time for full reconciliation.
Some analysts believe the UAE has struggled to get closer to the deal table due to the ties between Doha and Ankara.
The UAE accuses Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of meddling in Arab affairs.
Anwar gargash, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the United Arab Emirates, said his country is extremely supportive of the agreement, but added that "any future crisis will create trust problems".
The main dignitaries of the Gulf countries are asking themselves many questions. One of them all, how do we deal with regional threats in light of the Turkish presence? How will Qatar deal with our common affairs if it still suffers interference from Iran?
Sheikh Mohammed, who is also president of the Qatar Investment Authority, during the deal he hinted at the possibility that the sovereign wealth fund will invest in Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states if the crisis ends: "If there are opportunities that we see in the future, and we see a continuation of the political will of countries to engage, we are very open ”.
Saudi Arabia wants to attract foreign investment to support Prince Mohammed's grand plans to modernize the kingdom and revise economic policy by no longer tying it to oil. Sheikh Mohammed also added that Doha has agreed to suspend lawsuits against Saudi Arabia and its allies, including lawsuits filed with the World Trade Organization and the International Court of Justice.