DUBAI: Qatar has no plans to make further investments in Russia, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said during an interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson, in which he also discussed the war in Ukraine and Qatar’s role in the mediation process.
“Qatar’s stand has been very, very clear: We are against any act of aggression, or threatening of use of power or the use of power, against a sovereign country, or trying to undermine the territorial integrity of any country,” he said.
“There is a deterioration in the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, which is unprecedented. We should focus on having a ceasefire, humanitarian corridors, bringing the humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”
Qatar has existing investments in Russia, Al-Thani said, but authorities in the country do not plan to make any more at this time. Previous investments “were based on a commercial assessment and these investments are still ongoing” but “we are not thinking about any new investments there — even, by the way, in Europe — until we have some clarity on the stability of the situation,” he added.
Asked about Qatar’s role as a mediator in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, he told Anderson that Qatar offers its help and support to both countries “to find a common ground and to help to put an end to this humanitarian catastrophe and we will never give up on our efforts.”
Al-Thani also discussed Qatar’s relationship with Iran.
“Iran is our neighbor and anything that happens or evolves over there definitely will affect us, as Qatar, but will affect also the (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries,” he said.
He added that as a “small country,” Qatar does not believe that international economic sanctions or unilateral sanctions are effective tools to encourage policy changes “and this has been a very clear and principled position for us.”