The French Foreign Minister began his two-day Gulf tour from Doha, where he met the Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani and his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Mohamed Bin Abdel Rahman Al Thani to discuss a fair solution of this diplomatic crisis. Le Drian stressed that France wants a quick end to the tension and the blockade enforced.
"The sovereignty of Qatar is not going to be questionable here," says Le Drian. ''We have to find a quick solution to the crisis that is taking place. France is calling for measures to be taken, to lift the siege undergoing, particularly the harms that has affected dual national families in the region."
Qatar has renewed its commitment to fighting terrorism. However, Foreign Minister Mohamed bin Abdel Rahman stressed that such a mission will need collaboration between regional countries.
With his first stop in Doha, Le Drian is scheduled to go to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE on Sunday. France is following Germany, Britain and the United States, whose foreign ministers have taken similar tours in the Gulf, aiming to tone down the tension in the region.
Le Drian arrived in the region after a four-day mediation mission by US Secretary of state Rex Tillerson ended on Thursday with no announcement of progress towards defusing mounting tensions in the Gulf.
(With input from AFP)
