Qatar rejects Iraq demand to hand over Al Hashemi
Demands by Iraq to hand over official have also been rejected by the northern region
Manama: Qatar has rejected Iraq's demand to hand over fugitive Vice-President Tarek Al Hashemi who arrived in Doha on Sunday, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Khaled Al Attiyah said on Tuesday.
"Diplomatic norms and the post of [Al] Hashemi prevent Qatar from doing such a thing," he said when asked about Baghdad's request to hand over Al Hashemi, who is accused of running a death squad.
Qatar News Agency (QNA) on Monday reported that the Qatari Emir Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani received Al Hashemi at his court. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations and the developments in the region, the official news agency said.
Al Hashemi, wanted by the Iraqi government over an alleged role in acts of terrorism, left the Iraqi capital for Kurdistan. Demands by Iraq to hand him over to face justice were rejected by the northern region.
In a statement, Al Hashemi's office said that he left the Kurdistan region of Iraq on Sunday, and was going to Doha to accept an invitation he had previously received.
The office said that Al Hashemi would spend some days in Qatar before visiting unnamed other countries and returning to Kurdistan.
