Turkey's Military Presence in Qatar 'Emergency' for Gulf States, UAE Diplomat Says

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Turkey’s military presence in Qatar contributes to negative polarization in the region and poses an emergency to the Gulf nations, Anwar Gargash, the UAE minister of state for foreign affairs, said.

President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Doha earlier in the week to inaugurate a newly completed Turkish military base, where he said Turkish soldiers in the region contribute to regional stability.

"The Turkish military presence in the Arab Gulf is an emergency ... It reinforces polarization, and it does not take into account the sovereignty of states and the interests of the Gulf countries and its peoples," Gargash said in a tweet.

The top diplomat went on to dismiss Erdogan’s claims of contributing to regional stability as inconsistent with Turkey’s role in the region.

The military base hosting some 5,000 Turkish soldiers represents the increasing affinity between Ankara and Doha in recent years. The two countries back the same sides in the region’s conflicts in Syria and Libya.

Qatar has been subjected to a blockade from its Gulf neighbors since 2017 due to regional tensions and its geopolitical agenda.