Qatar has revealed that ties with Egypt are not as bad as suggested by the Egyptian media, which has launched attacks against the Gulf kingdom since the ouster of former Doha ally Mohamed Morsi from Egypt’s presidency in 2013.
“What is actually going on between Cairo and Doha is different from what the media is portraying,” Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid Al-Attiyah told satellite TV channel al-Araby Friday, stressing that his country has been unfazed by scathing Egyptian media criticisms of its policies.
“If Qatar is to give attention to whatever is said through the Egyptian media, there would be a big problem, but we would rather not heed what is said,” the minister added.
“Relations between Egypt and Qatar are as normal as those with any other Arab state. There are only political differences,” Al-Attiyah said, adding that he hopes Egypt will adopt a national dialogue that includes all political perspectives.
Relations between Cairo and Doha soured when Morsi was ousted following mass protests against his rule. Doha had been Morsi’s most notable political and financial backer.
Egyptian authorities have since frequently accused Qatar of interfering with their domestic affairs.
The Egyptian media has waged a relentless war of words against the oil-rich Gulf kingdom, and accusing it of supporting terrorism attributed to Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood.
Egypt’s judiciary is retrying reporters from Qatar's al-Jazeera English channel over charges of disseminating false news. Some local lawsuits have also demanded Qatar be branded a pro-terrorist entity.
Meanwhile, ex-president Morsi is standing trial for leaking national security information to Doha.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
