NEW YORK: A secret agreement between Washington and Qatar to stop money flowing from the emirate to terrorist groups should be made public, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has been told.
Four US congressmen urged Tillerson to declassify the US-Qatar deal, which was brokered in July amid a diplomatic rift between Qatar and several of its neighbors.
In a letter published on Wednesday, the congressmen said that while parts of the deal may need to remain confidential, “public policy should be discussed and reviewed in public.”
“The American people have a right to know what steps Qatar’s government is taking to deter Islamist terrorism,” the congressmen said, and the deal probably included “steps Qatar must take to curb all support for terrorism, including Hamas.”
Tillerson agreed the deal in Doha on July 10 in an effort to defuse the crisis between Qatar and other Arab states — Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt — which had boycotted Qatar over its support for extremism.
At the time, Tillerson said the deal would enable the US and Qatar to cooperate to track down sources of terrorist funding and share information about counter-terrorism activities, with milestones for measuring its success.
The contents of the agreement have never been disclosed despite mounting calls for transparency, resulting in the letter from congressmen Jim Banks, Robert Pittenger, Scott Perry and Ron DeSantis.
The State Department has said the agreement could not be published because it contained classified information about foreign governments and intelligence operations, including non-binding political commitments from Qatar.
However, the four congressmen said the agreement “does not appear to contain classified or sensitive information. The decision to classify the document while publicly praising Qatar’s progress toward upholding its contents makes it impossible for the public to judge Qatar’s compliance.”
US urged to publish secret anti-terror deal with Qatar
US urged to publish secret anti-terror deal with Qatar
GCC states ‘face reliance on Saudi Arabia for food imports’
- With 70 percent of food coming through Strait of Hormuz, analysts warn of inevitable shortages
DUBAI: Some Gulf states may have to rely on overland food deliveries from Saudi Arabia if the US-Israel-Iran war continues to disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and restrict regional airspace, analysts warned on Thursday.
The region is up to 90 percent dependent on food imports, and price surges and scarcity of some goods are expected.
“With over 70 percent of GCC foodstuffs being imported through the Strait of Hormuz, Gulf states face shortages if the war persists,” said Neil Quilliam of the Chatham House think tank.
“While GCC countries have taken steps to diversify suppliers and ensure sufficient stores to withstand disruption, this can only last several months. At this point, price increases and longer lead times will start to hit the markets.”
Commodities analyst Ishan Bhanu said: “The biggest immediate effect will be due to the blockade of Jebel Ali in Dubai, serving about 50 million people. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Iraq effectively become landlocked and will depend on overland routes through Saudi Arabia.”
Bottlenecks are yet to show and the UAE has said its strategic reserves of vital goods cover four to six months of needs. It urged residents to report unjustified price increases through a dedicated hotline.
Supermarket staff throughout the Gulf said shelves remain largely stocked, though suppliers are taking longer to replenish certain products. Iran’s strikes on the Gulf since Saturday prompted panic buying in supermarkets, a dry run for what could come.
“Perception of risk matters, and even if stocks are sufficient now, public runs on supermarkets can spook the public,” Quilliam said.
