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Saudi, UAE, Bahrain withdraw Qatar envoys - Middle East - Al Jazeera English
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have said they are withdrawing their ambassadors from Qatar because Doha had not implemented an agreement among Gulf Arab countries not to interfere in each others' internal affairs.
The three countries said the move was necessary "to protect their security and stability".
According to a report published by Saudi state media on Wednesday, the decision to withdraw diplomatic envoys was made because Qatar did not implement a security pact about non-interference in the internal affairs of the other states that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC].
A joint statement from the three countries claimed Qatar failed to commit "to the principles" of the GCC.
A security agreement signed last year by the GCC focused on co-operation in the exchange of information and tracking down of criminals and those who broke the law.
'Difference of opinion'
Qatar's government said in a statement it expressed its regret and puzzlement at the decision, saying there is no relation between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain's decision to withdraw their ambassadors from Doha and the wellbeing of the people of the GCC, their security and stability.
Instead, Qatar said the decision reflected a difference of opinion and stance regarding issues outside of the GCC. It added that Qatar would remain committed to the values of brotherhood in the GCC.
Joseph Kechichian, a senior fellow at the King Faisal Centre for Research & Islamic Studies in Riyadh, told Al Jazeera that the move was likely about more than the security pact because Qatar supports the pact.
"This reflects a fundamental political difference of opinion within the GCC, primarily between Qatar alone as one country, and the other five over the Muslim Brotherhood situation, not just in the GCC region, but also in Egypt which has been the bete noire of the Arab Spring," Kechichian said.
Stock market dive
The joint statement said GCC members had signed an agreement on November 23 not to back "anyone threatening the security and stability of the GCC whether as groups or individuals - via direct security work or through political influence, and not to support hostile media."
GCC foreign ministers had met in Riyadh on Tuesday to try to persuade Qatar to implement the agreement, it said.
"But unfortunately, these efforts did not result in Qatar's agreement to abide by these measures, which prompted the three countries to start what they saw as necessary, to protect their security and stability, by withdrawing their ambassadors from Qatar starting from today, March 5 2013," the statement said.
The move is thought to be unprecedented in the three-decade history of the GCC, a pro-Western alliance of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE and Oman.
The Qatar stock exchange closed 2.09 percent down following the decision.
Source:
Al Jazeera and agencies
.. This tone sounds familiar!
