UAE: Fresh Qatari former PM’s RT interview lacks self-criticism, assessment

UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash slammed new statements made by Qatar’s former prime minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim Al Thani, saying that they reflected weak arguments due to a lack of self-criticism and assessment.

Al Thani gave an interview which aired on Saturday on Russia Today and said that the crisis between Qatar and its Gulf and Arab neighbors was ongoing “because those who started it don’t understand politics”.

“The failure of the (US) mediator to solve the Gulf crisis is due to the conflict of positions in Washington and the intransigence of those who started it,” he said.

With reference to the resignation announced last week of Retired US general Anthony Zinni, who was handling the mediation between Qatar and its neighbors, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem added: “I think Zinni offered ideas, but… the problem is that the secretary of state was running the file and so was [Trump’s son-in-law and advisor] Jared Kushner. Also there were many parties who were interested in the case for one reason or other”.

However, “there is nothing new in the interview by Shaikh Hamad Bin Jassim with Russia Today,” Gargash posted on Twitter.

“The interview reflected a familiar disconnect between practices of Sheikh Hamad who was among the architects that led to Doha’s current dilemma and a vague theoretical discourse. The argument was prosaic and the discourse was weak due to the lack of self-criticism and assessment.”