Media Center

Brussels – Information Office – 13 September

HE Qatar's Ambassador to Belgium and Head of Qatari Missions to EU and NATO Abdulrahman bin Mohammed Al Khulaifi has inaugurated the activities of the Middle East Dialogue Center in Brussels, HE the Ambassador addressed the first symposium organized by the Center under the title "State of Qatar - A Hundred Days Under Siege."

The seminar was attended by Belgian Ambassador to Syria Marc Ott and Prof. Dr. Sebastian Boussoua, Professor at a number of European Universities and Institutes in addition to a number of members of the "Young Professionals in Foreign Policy" and workers in the EU and NATO.

In his speech, HE the Ambassador explained Qatar's position on the unjust siege imposed on it, and the violations committed by the siege countries in terms of human rights and international convention. HE also explained the position of the State of Qatar on the siege countries' attempts to undermine the sovereignty of Qatar and impose its guardianship on it, Underlining their failure in providing evidence of the false accusations they made.

He pointed that the targeting the State of Qatar came as a result of the overall development and successes it achieved in different economic, scientific and political spheres, placing Qatar among the leading countries on both regional and international levels. He explained that these successes were a result of the wisdom of Qatar's leadership represented by HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.

HE the Ambassador explained, to the audience, the siege countries' insistence on their aggression and hostility against Qatar, pointing to the strength of the position and unity of Qataris and their support of the leadership.

"Have the siege countries forgotten that we live in the twenty-first century, the time of media openness, communication revolution and social media?" He the Ambassador asked. " Have they forgotten that nothing can be hidden, and that the Arab peoples have become aware of the facts and events happening around them"?

"Unfortunately, the siege countries have ignored these facts and dealt with this crisis from a Middle Ages perspective in an attempt to impose hegemony and guardianship on others," HE Ambassador Al Khulaifi said adding that the siege countries did not succeed in their quest, and did not maintain the image in which they were trying to appear before the world. The State of Qatar, despite being subjected to injustice and treachery of those presumed to be brothers and neighbors, it has maintained its religious, political and moral principles.

Discussions during the symposium focused on the Gulf crisis and the siege imposed on the State of Qatar, which violated international norms and laws, and the repercussions of the crisis on regional and global security, global trade, and the fight against terrorism.

It also touched on the results of the siege in relation with human rights, freedom of information and expression, and other basic freedoms such as the rights to work, travel and study.