Qatari emir calls for dialogue to end Gulf crisis

Qatari Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, on Wednesday called for dialogue to resolve the ongoing crisis in the Gulf.

Al-Thani told reporters after talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo at the state palace in Bogor, south of Jakarta, capital of Indonesia, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported.

"We conveyed ... that Qatar is ready to conduct a dialogue to solve the problem as we already know that no one will win," Al-Thani said, "We are all brothers who are suffering because of this crisis."

The Qatari emir led a delegation of 40 businessmen who also accompanied him to Malaysia and Singapore.

His Asian tour came more than four months into a Saudi-led blockade against the Gulf emirate.

The Saudi Arabia-led Arab quartet, which also includes the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5 and has imposed an air, sea and land embargo against the tiny gas-rich Gulf state, citing Doha's support to terrorism and extremists.

Qatar has strongly denied these charges and has been seeking diplomatic and economic support from Turkey and Iran, which is Saudi's arch rival, to break the blockade.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)