JEDDAH: The crisis with Qatar should be solved within the framework of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al-Jubeir said on Friday.
At a joint press conference with Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano in Rome, Al-Jubeir said he explained to Alfano the measures taken by the Anti-Terror Quartet (ATQ) — comprising Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt — against Doha “due to Qatari support and financing of terrorism, harboring terrorists, incitement, spreading hatred and interfering in other countries’ internal affairs.”
Al-Jubeir added: “We provided our Qatari brothers with a set of demands… We hope wisdom in Qatar will prevail and respond positively to these demands so we can put an end to this page... We will wait for the desired change to occur.”
He continued: “There should be no tolerance for extremism and terrorism. We must find solutions to these problems, noting that there are many other things in the region that we should be interested in. We are determined to continue to see the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 and develop our economy and standard of living. Dealing with terrorism and extremism complicates this process.”
There is an “agreement to work with our partners and allies in Italy to defeat this scourge.”
Al-Jubeir said it pained the ATQ to take measures against Doha, and the aim is not to harm Qatar.
On relations with Iran, he said Tehran interferes in countries’ internal affairs, ignites sectarianism, cultivates terrorist cells in Gulf countries, violates international agreements regarding ballistic missiles, dispatches its Revolutionary Guards to Syria, Iraq and Yemen, and smuggles weapons and explosives to Kuwait, Bahrain and Yemen to undermine regional stability.
“We have a party indulged in aggressive behavior since 1979, and other parties received this aggressive behavior,” Al-Jubeir said.
“This is related to Iran’s pursuit of control of the region, which we will not allow to happen.”
On the Middle East peace process, Al-Jubeir said everyone knows what the settlement should be: Two states for two peoples, with East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.
“We must push the parties in this direction, with the hope that wisdom prevails and that people can pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque without interference,” he added.
He said he exchanged views with Alfano on terrorism, extremism and the regional situation in general.
Al-Jubeir added that they also reviewed and seek to expend bilateral relations in various fields such as trade, investment, education and political consultation.
Alfano described the talks with Al-Jubeir as positive, stressing the existence of many opportunities to strengthen bilateral ties, and commending the Kingdom’s importance as a trade partner.
Qatar crisis should be solved within GCC framework: Al-Jubeir
Qatar crisis should be solved within GCC framework: Al-Jubeir
Saudi Arabia, Estonia strengthen cyber defense cooperation
- Renowned for its leadership in digital governance, Estonia sees cybersecurity as central to its partnership potential with Saudi Arabia, building on years of regional engagement through its technology firms
RIYADH: Estonia aims to deepen defense, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence cooperation with Saudi Arabia as both nations look to advance technology‑driven defense and cybersecurity capabilities.
Hanno Pevkur, Estonia’s minister of defense, told Arab News at the World Defense Show in Riyadh on Monday that Estonia’s defense industry is eager to contribute to the Kingdom’s fast‑growing defense ecosystem.
“In the modern world, cooperation built on trust and technology is the best defense,” he said. “It is important for us to be here because we clearly see there is a possibility to increase cooperation, not only bilaterally between Saudi Arabia and Estonia, but across the region.”
At Estonia’s pavilion, a cooperation agreement was signed between an Estonian company and a Saudi firm during the show, he noted.
Pevkur also said Estonia’s defense sector has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven by technological innovation and partnership.
“Our defense industry is growing very rapidly, and we continue to see strong momentum,” he said.
He said Estonia’s strengths lie in digital and smart‑system integration rather than large‑scale weapons production.
“We will not build airplanes or tanks, but what we can do is integrate robotics, automation and drones to make existing systems smarter,” he said.
The minister said effective defense collaboration must link businesses and governments to achieve meaningful results.
“When we want to have real cooperation, we need it on all levels,” he said. “The biggest client for any defense company is the government, so we must treat this as one ecosystem where the public and private sectors work hand in hand.”
Renowned for its leadership in digital governance, Estonia sees cybersecurity as central to its partnership potential with Saudi Arabia, building on years of regional engagement through its technology firms.
Pevkur said several Estonian companies, including Nortal, have already assisted Gulf governments in developing open IT and digital‑service systems.
“As the most digitalized nation in the world, almost every service in Estonia can be done online, except getting married,” he said. “But with such digitalization, we also need strong cyberdefense.”
He said data protection and digital resilience are treated as matters of national sovereignty in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia.
“Data is what we own. When someone steals that data, it becomes a serious threat,” he added. “That is why cyberdefense is not just about technology, it is about trust, sovereignty and protection.”
Pevkur said Saudi Arabia’s advances in AI offer promising opportunities for collaboration.
“I know that Saudi Arabia is doing great work when it comes to AI,” he said. “For us, as a small country with limited human resources, AI is essential not just for defense but for everyday life.”
Pevkur added that Estonia has launched a national AI strategy to promote responsible development and closer coordination between government and industry. One Estonian company, he said, has developed a system that allows a single operator to control hundreds of drones through AI.
“It is quite easy to put a weapon into the hands of a robot, but we also need to define who is accountable for its actions,” he said.
“The big question for the future is whether we can allow a war to be fought entirely by AI, or if humans must always make the final ethical decisions.”
He said in his conclusion that governments must reach a common understanding on how AI will be used and regulated on the battlefield.
