Qatar urged to act against those sowing seeds of division in GCC

Manama: Bahrain’s foreign minister has called on Qatar not to allow any of its residents to target fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

“We urge the sisterly state of Qatar not to allow anyone living on its soil to abuse any of the GCC countries or their leaders or people, be it through the use of media or mosque platforms or otherwise,” Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa said in a statement.

“I am fully confident that Qatar, at the official and popular levels, will not tolerate any attempt against the brotherly relations between the member countries of the GCC and which are built on unity and common destiny and in line with its commitment to the covenants and agreements that had been endorsed by the GCC leaders,” Shaikh Khalid said.

The minister was reacting to accusations by Yousuf Al Qaradawi, an Egyptian-born leader of the Islamic Brotherhood, against the UAE in a Friday sermon on January 24 on Qatar state TV.

Shaikh Khalid said that he strongly condemned the accusations, stressing that they were totally and unequivocally rejected.

“These false allegations aim to provoke sedition and divisions between brothers within the GCC. Any attack on the UAE is tantamount to an attack on all the GCC members, without exception,” Shaikh Khalid said.

The minister said that the UAE has had an outstanding role in supporting Arab and Islamic issues and that it has regularly assisted Muslims throughout the world.

The GCC, established in May 1981 in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, brings together Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.