French FM arrives in UAE to mediate in the Gulf crisis

Brussels - Le Drian's visit comes after a four-day mediation mission by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.

Evidences of Qatar's funding and support of terrorism and extremism will be brought to the limelight at a seminar being organised in Brussels today.
The first such gathering in the European Union capital since the onset of the Qatari crisis, the seminar will bring together international officials and representatives of global think tanks to shed more extensive light on the geopolitical implications triggered by Qatar's refusal to stop hosting, funding and providing supportive media platforms for extremist and terrorist outfits.
Dr Ahmed Al Hamli, founder and president of Trends Research & Advisory, organiser of the event, said the centre is hosting the gatherings out of its firm belief that the world should be aware of the fact that maximum pressures have to be exerted on Qatar to stop funding and supporting terrorism and that the Qatari behaviour poses a direct menace to the security of Europe, the US and the Middle East.
"We can't tolerate such direct and overt support of extremist ideologies," he said, noting that more pressures have to piled on such nations to change course.
"The seminar will focus on issues of cooperation between terror-combating countries and Qatar's notorious history in this regard. We will bring forth and drive home many facts and proof, points that have not been known to the public and global community before about Qatar's nurturing and sheltering of terrorist elements."
"Trends Research and Advisory has developed two reports that feature undeniable facts about Qatar's direct and indirect support for terrorism and extremism, including evidence and names," he elaborated.
Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian held talks with top officials in Kuwait on Sunday in a bid to bolster the emirate's attempts to mediate in the crisis.
Le Drian met the Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, and Kuwait's foreign minister, state news agency Kuna said, for talks on a regional rift which has seen Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain sever all ties with Qatar.
Le Drian, who arrived in the UAE later in the day, stopped in Qatar and Saudi Arabia at the start of his two-day Gulf tour on Saturday. 
Le Drian's visit comes after a four-day mediation mission by US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, which ended on Thursday with no announcement of progress towards defusing mounting tension in the Gulf.