In an interview with Doha-based Al Jazeera television, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said the president’s latest speech did not come up with anything new to resolve the crisis in Syria. Rather, it formed part of the regime’s procrastination policy.
About his recent visit to Egypt and his meeting with the UN-Arab league joint envoy for Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, the Prime Minister said the trip was “to follow up on ties between the brotherly countries of Egypt and Qatar”.
“There was also an agreement for a meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi, to follow up (on) the trilateral or bilateral talks between Russia and the US on Syria. We also talked with other parties that took part in this meeting….”
He said: “We are in the Arab League and the committee on Syria and we fully support his (Brahimi’s) efforts; we are sure he is the right person if there is a solution. The problem, in fact, is on the Syrian side and its procrastination.”
On Russian allusions that the Syrian president would resign by the end of his mandate in 2014, and whether this was considered a manoeuvre or a way that could put an end to the crisis, he said: “I do not think that the Russians are manoeuvring; we may disagree with them on this issue , but I do not think they are manoeuvring as the issue is in the hand of the Syrian people and the resistance, and not in the hand of Arab and international organisations.”
Asked about the comments of Ahmed Muaaz al-Khatib , the head of the National Syrian Alliance, that the international community wanted no winners in the Syrian fighting , Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim said he would not go to that end, but would note that there were differences among members of the UN Security Council which delayed a solution.
Questioned whether financial problems in Arab Spring countries were due to the democratic change or attempts of the old regimes to restore power, he explained that economic instability often accompanied transition, especially at a time when people’s hopes were also rising.
However, he said that if such countries had the vision and the desire, they would be able to overcome the current situation. Efforts of some countries towards economic reform were fruitful, he said, citing Turkey as a regional example.
Answering a question on reports that some rich Gulf countries were punishing Arab Spring states economically, he said he would not be drawn into the issue. However, he said that HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani had a clear vision in helping the countries whose people had opted for a change.
The failure or success of the experience of a country of the Arab Spring hinged solely on its domestic stability, its economic and political plans and its international relations. “Hence, the key to any economic or political solution for that country comes from within.”.
On what was happening in Iraq and the accusations against Qatar in this regard, the Prime Minister said that some politicians looked for another party to blame when they failed to explain or solve an issue, adding that blaming Qatar for these issues had become easier. He said that Qatar’s interest was in Iraq’s stability and in the consensus of all Iraqi parties.
He expressed his belief that sectarianism which “unfortunately” characterised some movements in certain Arab countries, would only lead to destruction. “We need a period of stability and reconciliation between Arab countries in order to achieve real development.”
On Qatar’s role in uniting the Palestinian people, he said that Qatar had always been supporting reconciliation, adding that it had supported the efforts of Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi towards this and for the ceasefire in Gaza.
‘Success for Qatari diplomacy’
Qatari diplomacy has succeeded in releasing 2,130 Syrian detainees, including 76 women, from the Damascus regime’s prisons.
It also helped in releasing 48 Iranian nationals who were detained inside the Syrian territory, a Foreign Ministry source said in Doha.
The source told QNA that Tehran had earlier asked the State of Qatar to intervene as a mediator for the release of Iranian nationals detained in Syria.
During the negotiating process, Qatari diplomacy had faced many hurdles which were eventually overcome to achieve its humanitarian objective. Qatar’s efforts continued for nearly three months and were finally successful.
The source said that the release process was co-ordinated by Qatari authorities and Turkey’s Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH).
