Official: Qatar can stay under ‘blockade forever’

CEO of the state-owned Qatar Petroleum said on Tuesday in an interview that Doha can continue to sustain itself under “blockade forever,” in a statement showing recalcitrance defiance.

“We can stay under blockade forever and our situation in terms oil and gas will not be affected,” Sa’ad Al-Ka’abi said, adding that investors will remain.

Ka’abi’ defiant statement comes after Qatar made consecutive contradictory announcements, creating confusion.

Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani contradicted his own words, which reflected a confusion for the state, which is experiencing a crisis after three Gulf countries - Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain - in addition to Egypt severed ties with it.

After stressing that Qatar will not negotiate its foreign policy, until ending the boycott, he reiterated that his country is ready for discussion to address the concerns of the Gulf States.

He alleged that the actions of the Gulf countries are aimed at getting rid of its state, although the Gulf countries repeatedly emphasized and with evidences the efforts that Qatari leaders made to destabilize these countries, especially the famous recording between the former emir of Qatar and his foreign minister and Muammar Qaddafi conspiring against Saudi Arabia, as well as other leaks about Bahrain.

The most striking contradiction was clear when he talked about the so-called “siege” which the Gulf States emphasize as severing ties rather than a siege. On the other hand, Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani said that his country will depend on Oman, Kuwait and Turkey in their trade movements, and added that Iran provides Doha with airlift… then what “siege” is he speaking about.