Turkish President Erdogan speaks to Gulf leaders to diffuse Qatar crisis

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spoken to key players in the diplomatic dispute between Qatar and neighboring countries in efforts to find a solution, his spokesman said.

Erdogan "has initiated diplomatic efforts to resolve this dispute between friends and brothers in line with the spirit of the holy month of Ramadan," spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in a statement Monday.

Erdogan has not yet commented on the crisis which saw Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Yemen sever ties with Qatar Monday accusing it of supporting extremism.

Deputy prime minister Numan Kurtulmus said on Monday that Erdogan had already been in contact with regional leaders.

He spoke by phone with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia, state-run Anadolu news agency said.

Erdogan also discussed the crisis, the biggest in the region for years, with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"I would like to take this opportunity to declare once again that Turkey is prepared to do its duty over the next days and weeks," Kalin said in the statement.

Turkey enjoys friendly relations with Qatar including in the energy sector, but also maintains good ties with other Gulf countries.

Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Monday called for dialogue and said Turkey was ready to help defuse the situation.

(AFP)