Washington / Information Office / July 27

HE the State of Qatar's Ambassador to the United States Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani said that deploying Turkish troops in the State of Qatar was according to an agreement that was signed long time before the crisis of the imposed siege on Qatar, stressing that he is not worried about the possibility of a military confrontation in the region.

In a speech that he gave during an interactive session at the World Affairs Council in Washington, HE the ambassador said the 13 demands that Doha received from the siege countries were neither convincing nor logical, adding that they jeopardize state sovereignty and repress free press. He noted that the siege countries want Qatar to give up on its sovereignty in return for lifting the siege.

Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al-Thani said Qatar is trying to handle the issue positively and constructively, adding that it wants the four countries to sit to the negotiations table.

On accusing Qatar of forging a coalition with the Muslim Brotherhood, HE the ambassador denied that, saying that such a view of Qatar that it supports the Muslim Brotherhood is the result of Emirati and Saudi propaganda, adding that Qatar doesn't ally with groups but rather supports peoples to achieve their aspirations.

The ambassador said Qatar backs governments and it continues to work with Tunisia until today even after the Muslim Brotherhood left power there.

Asked about the Egyptian requests for Doha to repatriate some wanted persons who live in Qatar, HE the ambassador said he doesn't believe that Qatar has persons who are wanted by the Egyptian government but added that it would be a different matter if the issue was about people who sought asylum in Qatar to escape persecution.