Bahrain Foreign Minister Calls for Freezing of Qatar's GCC Membership

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt have cut diplomatic, transport and trade ties with Qatar, the world's top seller of liquefied natural gas, accusing it of financing terrorism.

Ahmed Tolba

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt have cut diplomatic, transport and trade ties with Qatar, the world's top seller of liquefied natural gas, accusing it of financing terrorism.

bahrain foreign minister calls for freezing of qatar s gcc membership

Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheik Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa speaks to media after the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt meeting to discuss their dispute with Qatar, in Manama, Bahrain July 30, 2017. Credit: Reuters

Cairo: Bahrain will not attend the upcoming GCC summit if Qatar does not change its stand, and the right step to preserve the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) is to freeze Qatar's membership, Bahrain's foreign minister said on Twitter on Sunday.

Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa also said on his account on Twitter that "if Qatar thinks that its current playing with time and evading will buy it time till the upcoming GCC summit, then it's mistaken. If the situation remained as it is we won't attend this summit."

He added "the right step to preserve GCC is to freeze Qatar's membership in the council... otherwise we are fine with its outing from the council."

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt have cut diplomatic, transport and trade ties with Qatar, the world's top seller of liquefied natural gas, accusing it of financing terrorism. Doha denies the charges.

(Reuters)

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