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Anadolu Agency
ISTANBUL
the UAE is supporting"counter-revolutions in the Arab world for restoring dictatorships", Qatar's ambassador to Turkey has said.
In a statement, Ambassador HE Salem bin Mubarak al Shafi said,"The UAE and a number of allies have paid around $40 billion to consolidate the military coup in Egypt alone," in reference to the ouster of Mohamed Morsi, the country's first freely elected president, in 2013.
"We say that these countries have not learnt the lesson well," he added."Blaming Qatar, using bright terms such as counterterrorism and attacking the moderates with a view to winning the West will not protect them from the people."
"There are some Arab countries which are afraid of revolutions," he said."Instead of reforming their regimes and fulfilling the people's aspirations, they heap the blame on Qatar and the so-called political Islam."
The ambassador stressed that Qatar was"doing all it can to serve security and stability in the region in a way that does not clash with aspirations of the people".
The ambassador said the UAE's role"in triggering the crisis with Qatar has become visible for all". He said the UAE and other blockading states"have rejected any foreign mediation to resolve the crisis".
Doha had refrained from taking"vengeful" measures in response to the blockade, he noted."We hope that they (the blockading states) will to see reason. We believe that they will ultimately return to dialogue."
The ambassador reiterated Qatar's commitment to fighting terrorism."Qatar is an active member in all counterterrorism forums and in the international anti-Daesh coalition," he said.
"Qatar also hosts the largest US military base in the Middle East engaged for fighting terrorism," he said, in reference to al-Udeid base.
The diplomat went on to ridicule calls for closing the Turkish base in Qatar."It is strange to see the UAE, which hosts several foreign bases, to call for closing the Turkish base in Doha and for cutting defence ties between Qatar and Turkey, unless the UAE and allied states have hostile intentions or plans for a military intervention," he said.
