Manama: Bahrain. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt said that confronting Qatar’s interference in the domestic affairs of Arab countries was highly significant.
The information ministers of the four countries that severed their relations with Qatar on June 5 after accusing it of supporting extremists and funding terrorism, said that Doha interfered in other countries through supporting the concept of political Islam that embraced terrorism as a means to achieve goals.
Such a movement was launched years ago and continues in a clear and systematic policy of sabotage, the ministers said at their meeting in the Bahraini capital Manama on Sunday.
The ministers also stressed “the importance of addressing the hate speech promoted by the Government of Qatar and its media that adopted a policy of isolating the brotherly Qatari people from their Gulf and Arab surroundings.”
The four countries on June 5 cut off their diplomatic and trade ties with Qatar after they accused it of supporting extremists and funding terrorism.
No breakthrough has been achieved despite mediation efforts by Kuwait supported by the US and other countries.
The ministers said they welcomed the US strategy towards Iran, the largest sponsor of terrorism, and highlighted the importance of combating terrorism and its supporters.
They also called for “supporting efforts to promote the values of tolerance and cultural diversity, consolidate positive interaction between societies and show the civilized face of the region and its tolerant values.”
Suggestions on enhancing common media work to serve international efforts to combat extremism and terrorism in the world — and to work against hate speech — were also reviewed by the ministers, a brief statement said.
