MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed with Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud the situation regarding Qatar, which does not promote the consolidation of efforts on Syrian reconciliation and the fight against terrorism, the Kremlin said Tuesday.
"Russian President Vladimir Putin and Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud held a telephone conversation … The heads of states exchanged opinions on the current situation in the Middle East and northern Africa, touching upon the escalated situation regarding Qatar which unfortunately does not promote the consolidation of joint efforts in the Syrians reconciliation and the fight against the terrorist threat," the statement read.
Yemen, the Maldives, Mauritius, Mauritania and the eastern-based government in divided Libya also announced a break in relations with Doha, while Jordan and Djibouti said they would lower the level of diplomatic contacts with Qatar. Senegal, Chad and Niger recalled their ambassadors from Doha.
Qatar denied the accusations and said that no retaliatory measures would be taken.
Meanwhile, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Russia supports the development of friendly relations will all states of the Persian Gulf and considers that all the problems, including the diplomatic row around Qatar, should be resolved by political and diplomatic means.
"The Russian side is interested, as our president has already said, in developing good relations with all countries of the Persian Gulf and in maintaining stability and peace in the Persian Gulf, and settling all existing issues by political and diplomatic means, including at the moment, when the common task of combating international terrorism requires this," Peskov told reporters.
