Qatar-crisis: Gabriel in delicate Mission

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In the midst of the diplomatic crisis on the Arabian Peninsula, the German travels, foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, to the Persian Gulf. For the Federal Republic of much of the conflict on the game.

The Federal foreign Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, has spoken before of his departure to the Gulf region are concerned about the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and the States participating to the conversation a willingness to be called. “What it needs now is a serious dialogue between the Parties to develop constructive approaches to a solution through negotiations,” said Gabriel, who will from this Monday to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Qatar and Kuwait visit. “All must contribute and show that you are willing to put up with the Position of the other side.”

In the first line, should it go Gabriel on his journey, however, is to make the interests of the Federal government. His core message could be: no Matter how personal and heated the quarrel between the ruler of the clans will be held – this crisis is clearly feud more than a regional family.

Diplomatic Crisis

On 5. June had dropped out of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain, and the UAE has diplomatic relations with Qatar and a trade and transport blockade of the Peninsula in the Persian Gulf imposed. The reason for the Embargo: Qatar support the terrorist militia “Islamic state” (IS) in Syria and Iraq. This rejected the ruling house in Doha clearly and said that they wanted the national sovereignty of the Emirate of undermine.

Gabriel intervened early in the conflict. He met within a period of four days with the foreign Ministers of Saudi Arabia and Qatar in Berlin. The Saudi chief diplomat Adel al-Dschubair said at the time in Berlin, they would settle the dispute using the Gulf cooperation Council in the near future.

Foreign Affairs Minister Sigmar Gabriel and his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Dschubair on 7.6.2017 in Berlin

In the panel representative of the current parties to the conflict (except Egypt), as well as Oman and Kuwait have been meeting since 1981. It serves the economic and diplomatic cooperation and is, not least the West – as a guarantor of stability in the Region. However, in the past few weeks was to hear from the Gulf cooperation Council, remarkable little. In the absence of multilateral Dialogue Kuwait jumped in, finally, as a facilitator, however, could not prevent that the conflict has escalated, contrary to the announcement of Saudi Arabia-since then.

Ultimatum, Ultimatum elapsed

In mid-June, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE, the leadership in Qatar, gave ten days time to meet a list of 13 demands – including the closure of the state-owned news channel Al-Jazeera, the travel, the diplomatic relations with Iran, the closure of a Turkish military base in Qatar and the end of all ties to terrorist organizations. The Ultimatum would actually be run on Sunday evening, in the meantime, it was extended by 48 hours. You had complied with a request of Kuwait, reported the Saudi news Agency SPA.

The possible consequences for Qatar were not mentioned, but the Moscow in the UAE, the Ambassador said in a newspaper interview last week, you could make a common trading partner, ahead of the election, either with Qatar or the other Gulf States to cooperate. His boss, the UAE foreign Minister Anwar Gargash stressed that an “escalation” of the conflict was not an Option, rather it will exclude Qatar from the Gulf cooperation Council.

As expected, Qatar fulfilled so far, none of the receivables. Qatar’s foreign Minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Sunday that the list is not arranged in a way that we must reject. You don’t have even the objective to be negotiated accepted. Nevertheless, his country will aim for a dialogue, however, under appropriate circumstances, not under the pressure of an ultimatum.

USA wants to keep out

The disagreements between Qatar and the other countries of the Gulf cooperation Council are not new. The idiosyncratic foreign policy of the emirs in Doha, with its relations to Tehran is the kings in Riyadh have long been a thorn in the eye. As a possible trigger of the rupture of diplomatic relations, the foreign policy of U.S. President Donald Trump. His predecessor, Barack Obama was approaching to the nuclear Deal the Iranian Regime. Trump has completed this course, abruptly, and possibly the Saudi ruling house are encouraged to put Qatar under pressure.

The emirs of Qatar are financing the terrorist militia “Islamic state”?

Since the outbreak of the crisis have appeared, the foreign Ministers of all parties in Washington to meet with U.S. Secretary of state Rex Tillerson. Trump, known for partnership with the Saudis. At the same time his defense Minister signed a multi-billion arms deal with Doha. The bottom line is that Washington signalled that you consider the conflict as a regional Problem and, therefore, not aspiring to actively participate in the solution.

Gabriel’s Engagement

This solution is no nearer, and in view of its short stays, also the foreign Minister, Gabriel seems to have done little to settle the conflict on an ad hoc basis. Nevertheless, he demonstrated with the trip, once again, his interest in the thing. Recently he was on the phone with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry about the situation in the Arabian Peninsula and the common interest in a strong Gulf cooperation Council, as it was called from the foreign office. You have agreed to remain in close contact.

Just before the hot Phase of the Bundestag election campaign also personal and party-political considerations, like for Gabriel, although a role in his commitment to play. But the foreign Minister has to do here is actually an important task. After all, for Germany and its allies – particularly in Europe – there’s a lot on the game, because both Qatar as well as the other parties to the conflict are important partners in the Region. And they all play a more or less opaque role in the Syrian civil war, in Libya and in the fight against the IS in Syria and Iraq. That is why it is so hard to beat on a page.

Diplomatic Tightrope

Is Qatar on the example of the now into the diplomatic line of fire-stricken: on the one Hand, it is considered by many as an open secret that Qatar actually holds a relationship to the IS and funded. Qatar rejects this, however, is always. Similar is true for the Muslim brotherhood in Egypt, the Taliban in Afghanistan and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

The official Position of the Federal government is that you have to the most of these relationships – in particular, the to the IS – no evidence. And yet it seems to be in Berlin, members of the government, the suspect just that. So development Minister, Gerd Müller, Qatar has already mentioned, 2014, in connection with the financing of the jihadists. The situation of human rights in Qatar, as a precarious, and the indications are that the country has purchased the FIFA world Cup 2022, compacting to Prove themselves gradually.

Big business: Gabriel 2015 as economy Minister in Qatar

On the other hand, the Foreign office Qatar is called an “important Partner”. During the last financial crisis, the ruler of the family jumped in as an Investor. It today holds shares in various large German companies, including Volkswagen, Siemens and Deutsche Bank. The Emirate is a supplier of LPG and has given German companies with lucrative contracts. This also includes mill Arden include heavy arms exports, including 62 Leopard II tanks, which it has denied Saudi Arabia so far.

Gabriel knows well informed about the economic relations with the Arab Peninsula. In 2015, he traveled as Minister of the economy, with a large business delegation. He is traveling this time without a bigger Wake to get there, emphasizing its role as a chief diplomat. It is, therefore, safe.