DOHA: Prime Minister andMinister of Foreign Affairs HESheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani renewed Qatar’s condemnation of targeting and killing civilians, regardless of their backgrounds, and the continuation of the collective punishment policy followed by Israel towards the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, and the ongoing escalation in the West Bank, which is increasing daily and its danger to the situation in the region.
The prime minister pointed out - in a briefing held on Wednesday with the Prime Minister of Romania HE Marcel Ciulacu - that Qatar had clearly warned, since the beginning of the events on October 7, of the expansion of the circle of conflicts (which we see today on various fronts) and the direct relationship of this to escalation and war on the Gaza Strip.
In this context, he called on the international community to assume its responsibilities and work to stop this war and the continuous targeting of the Palestinian people and their killing in this way, as well as the policy of siege and starvation against them and the use of humanitarian aid as a tool for political exploitation.
Sheikh Mohammed pointed to the varying international positions regarding what is happening in Gaza, expressing his regret at the double standards of some countries in evaluating conflicts, and called on the international community to have uniform standards and apply to everyone and not be classified on the basis of who is the aggressor and thevictim.
He stressed that there would be no permanent solution and sustainable peace without the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, on the borders of June 4, 1967, in accordance with the resolutions of international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.
Regarding the issue of ceasefire negotiations and the release of hostages, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs explained that they are going through a sensitive stage and witnessing some stumbling, saying, “Unfortunately, the negotiations range between moving forward and stumbling, and we are trying as much as possible to address this matter and move forward to put an end to the suffering of the Palestinian people and restore hostages at the same time."
He went on to say, "We are advocates of peace, not advocates of war, and we demand that there be similar and compatible positions with us on the Israeli side so that in the end we see a solution that the Palestinian people can enjoy to live in safety."
During the briefing, he spoke about Qatari-Romanian relations and stressed that they are characterized by trust and keenness to exchange opinions on various issues in the Middle East and Europe, pointing in this regard to the continuous exchange and permanent political consultations between the two countries over the past years.
He explained that the past years witnessed the signing between the two countries of a group of agreements in several fields, including youth, sports, economic, health, medical, cultural, trade, industry and education cooperation. On Wednesday, a memorandum of understanding was signed about livestock and food security, embodying the ambitions of the two countries to strengthen and develop the relationship to broader horizons.
He added, "Today we had an opportunity to discuss the regional developments that the Middle East is going through, especially since the region is going through sensitive circumstances and witnessing a dangerous escalation, calling on all parties to reduce the escalation and spare the region from sliding into a new cycle of conflicts."
For his part, Prime Minister of Romania HE Marcel Ciulacu said that his visit to Doha contains a strong message that his country stands alongside Qatar, America and partners in the European Union to support peace efforts and restore security in the Middle East.
He stressed the need for all countries to adopt a balanced stance and work to encourage dialogue and restraint to avoid dangerous events in the region, and for diplomacy and dialogue to be stronger than weapons.
In this regard, he praised the role of Qatari mediation over the years in complex international files, which contributed to reducing escalation in the region and outside it, stressing that Romania is ready to join the relevant regional and international efforts to become part of a constructive solution to avoid expanding the conflict in the Middle East.
The Prime Minister of Romania appreciated the efforts of Qatar, which demonstrated its important role in the region, especially with regard to the release of hostages in the Gaza Strip, including Romanian citizens, expressing his appreciation for these efforts that led to their return to their homes safely, in addition to the support of Qatar to Romania during the COVID-19, which reinforces the friendly relations between the two countries and their ability to build an in-depth partnership centred around strategic projects of common interest such as transportation, energy, economy, agriculture, and digitalization.
He expressed his hope that Romania would be the gateway to Qatari investment in the European Union and that such cooperation would continue for the benefit of the two friendly countries and peoples.
