Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE, Egypt and some other countries had decided to sever ties with Qatar after all efforts to bring Doha to its senses had failed and all appeals to it had fallen on deaf years. Speaking at a press conference in London yesterday, in the presence of Saudi Ambassador to UK Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf, Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said the recent decision of sever ties with Qatar was a clear message to Doha that enough was enough. He added, "Qatar is an ally in the GCC and we do not seek to harm Qatari citizens. The current situation must be corrected. Doha cannot continue its current policy. It must stop funding terrorism." Al-Jubeir said that the Kingdom was in the process of listing out its complaints against Qatar, hoping that it would address these concerns and listen to the voice of reason. On the Kingdom hosting the historic summit in Riyadh that brought together a number of Islamic and Arab countries with the United States, he said it was aimed at changing the language of dialogue between them. Saudi Arabia has also initiated an International Center for Combating Terrorism, which is now active against terrorist activities. Al-Jubeir added that the GCC countries have signed a memorandum of understanding with the United States to fight terrorism and drain all sources of funding for terrorist and extremist organizations. He described the memorandum as of great importance. "When we complete the mechanisms for activating the agreement, we will seek to expand the scope of the participating countries to achieve the desired goals to the fullest." Turning to the situation in Yemen, Al-Jubeir confirmed that the military operations of the Arab coalition against the Houthi rebels would continue until legitimacy in the country is restored. He expressed the Kingdom's deep concern about the humanitarian situation there. He pointed out that the Saudi government had allocated US$ 800 million for relief operations in Yemen through the King Salman Center for Relief and Humanitarian Works, which runs 81 humanitarian organizations to distribute aid. Al-Jubeir expressed the Kingdom's concern over the Houthi siege on some areas, hindering medical and food deliveries and causing famines. The coalition forces were working to lift the siege and ensure aid reached the needy as soon as possible, he said. In this context, Al-Jubair noted that the Kingdom had hosted a conference for the reconstruction of Yemen in cooperation with the World Bank, and had allocated more than US$ 10 billion for this effort. On the Syrian issue, the Foreign Minister said that there was only a political solution to the crisis as laid out in the First Geneva Declaration and the Security Council resolution No.2254. Saudi Arabia was working with the international group to prepare for a political transition in Syria, he said. The Minister reiterated the Kingdom's commitment to fight and defeat terrorist organizations in Syria and other parts of the world. He pointed out that the Kingdom was at the forefront of the coalition countries against Daash in Iraq and Syria, and called for its total defeat with continued international efforts. He also renewed the Kingdom's support for the steps being taken by the Iraqi government to fight the terrorist group and welcomed the visit by Iraqi Prime Minister Haider Al-Abadi to Saudi Arabia on Monday to discuss bilateral relations and ways of enhancing them. The Foreign Minister pointed out that the Iranian regime continued to instigate violence by intervening in the domestic affairs of the region's countries, supporting terrorist groups in Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, and actively using the Revolutionary Guards in Syria and Iraq in clear violation of international law. Iran should behave like a state committed to peace if it wants to return to the international community. It should cease supporting militias, stop bombings of embassies, and desist from interfering in the affairs of other countries, he said, while expressing his optimism over Tehran mending its ways. On the Libyan issue, Al-Jubeir noted that the Kingdom was coordinating with its international partners to restore stability in the country and prevent terrorism from spreading further in Libya and other countries in Africa.
