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Ailyn Agonia
DOHA
The ongoing Gulf crisis has aggravated the suffering of people in several countries in the region, such as Yemen, according to Yasin al Tamimi, a Yemeni researcher.
"We are the main loser in this crisis. Yemen is the testing ground of the ongoing conflict. Our country will pay dearly as several projects in the country have been disrupted due to the Gulf crisis," he said at a seminar organised by Al Jazeera Centre for Studies (AJCS) at the Marriott Marquis City Center Doha Hotel on Saturday.
At the seminar, titled 'The Gulf Crisis: Ramifications & Future Scenarios', researchers, political analysts, academics and media professionals discussed the repercussions of the crisis on countries in the region and the future of GCC relations, as the blockade imposed on Qatar by the Saudi-led bloc is approaching the five-month mark.
According to Mariam al Balochi, a Gulf affairs analyst and researcher from Oman, the ongoing conflict is deeply rooted in the long-standing tensions between the GCC states and did not come as a surprise.
"The ongoing crisis is a part of the long-standing conflict between the GCC states, particularly Saudi Arabia and the UAE on one side and Qatar on the other. The resolution of the crisis in 2014, which saw the withdrawal of ambassadors of some Arab states from Qatar, was a temporary measure and a sort of 'cooling down' of the tensions. The present situation makes it clear that the agreements reached previously among the Arab states were not effective at all," she said.
Ahmet Uysal, director for Iranian Studies in Ankara and professor of international relations at Istanbul University, underscored Turkey's stand to reach out to Qatar amid the blockade while urging unity and restoration of harmonious relations among GCC states.
He explained the many attempts made by the Turkish government to reach out to the blockading countries to mediate and stabilise the situation.
He said,"We want Qatar to carry on as a free state, but at the same time we uphold unity, and not disintegration, of GCC states. Turkey is keen on maintaining the stability of the GCC countries and promoting cordial relationship between Qatar and other GCC member states."
The three-session seminar was moderated by AJCS Senior Researcher Fatima Alsmadi.
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22/10/2017
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