Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt severed diplomatic ties and transport links with Qatar on Monday, accusing it of supporting "extremism". Qatar is home to the biggest USA military air base in the Middle East and Washington officials say operations have not yet been affected, but this could change if the diplomatic row between Qatar and the U.S.
In a tweet, early morning Mr. Trump apparently supported the actions of four Arab countries to cut off diplomatic relationship with Qatar. These countries accused Doha of promoting terrorism and announced they would pull out their diplomatic staff from Qatar and even suspend flights to the country.
Qatar hosts 8000 USA military personnel at al Udeid, the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East and a launchpad for US-led strikes on the Islamic State militant group. Trump tweeted on Tuesday.
It said Qatar is "promoting extremist thoughts and spreading chaos and disturbances across numerous Arab countries, resulting in big humanitarian miseries". "Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!"
Qatar is home to a critical US military base, including the headquarters of US Central Command in the region.
Latest Stocks: California Resources Corp (CRC) Bond Prices Fall 1.8%
Investors are paying close attention to shares of Plant Impact PLC (PIM.L). 12 funds opened positions while 35 raised stakes. This suggests that RRC is now oversold, suggesting that it may have bottomed out ahead of a potential uptick in valuation.
White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told reporters that the USA continues to be in close communication with all the parties to resolve the issues and restore cooperation which is so important to regional security there. "But the USA still wants to see this issue de-escalated and resolved immediately, keeping with the principles that the president laid out in terms of defeating terror financing and extremism", he said. "Such a resolution would likely be triggered by, first, a consensus within the Al Thani family that mediation or smaller concessions would not appease Saudi Arabia and the UAE and, second, signals from the United States that it would not pressure these countries to back down". Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have revoked the licences of Qatar Airways and ordered its offices to close.
Speaking in Paris, he called on Qatar's rulers to end their support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the Palestinian militant group Hamas and what he called "hostile media".
Qatari nationals will not be allowed to board Qantas flights to Dubai because the United Arab Emirates has banned them from passing through its airports, the company's chief executive says.
The US was not planning a major mediation role, a State Department official said, pointing to offers from Turkey and Kuwait to intervene in what is emerging as the worst diplomatic crisis in the Persian Gulf in decades. He later left after a "brotherly visit" but there was no word on the outcome of the talks.
Last month Qatar's official news agency was hacked and a fake news story ostensibly quoting the country's Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani was published through it.
Comments