BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 8 Al-Attiyah’s sensational fi nal stage INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-6, 20 COMMENT 18, 19 REGION 7 BUSINESS 1-7, 14-16 seals Spain 21,518.00 9,499.75 45.77 ARAB WORLD 7 CLASSIFIED 8-13 CI affi rms Qatar foreign, -63.00 -42.53 -1.15 INTERNATIONAL 8-17 SPORTS 1-8 win -0.29% -0.45% -2.45% local currency ratings Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 MONDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10524 July 24, 2017 Dhul-Qa’da 1, 1438 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir meets Centcom chief Erdogan meets In brief Saudi, Kuwaiti QATAR | Offi cial Emir sends greetings to Sultan Qaboos leaders in bid His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime to defuse crisis Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani yesterday sent a cable of congratulations to Sultan Qaboos bin Turkish president to hold Saeed of the Sultanate of Oman on the occasion of the anniversary of his talks with Emir in Doha today accession to the throne. His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani met with the Commander of US Central Command (Centcom), Gen. Joseph Leonard Votel, and his accompanying delegation at Al Bahr Palace yesterday. Their talks dealt with bilateral strategic QATAR | Industry Agencies relations between the two friendly countries and means of enhancing them in defence co-operation in particular. The meeting Kuwait City PM holds meeting reviewed the joint operations between the Qatar Armed Forces and the US forces in combating terrorism aimed at supporting their eff orts to contribute to the maintenance of security and stability in the region. Gen. Votel thanked the Emir on Qatar’s pivotal with businessmen role in this field. They also exchanged views on regional and international issues of common. urkish President Recep Tayyip HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Erdogan yesterday began a key Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Ttrip to the Gulf aimed at defus- bin Khalifa al-Thani has ordered the ing the Gulf crisis, saying no one had an formation of a committee comprising interest in prolonging the dispute. members from designated ministries Erdogan had talks in Jeddah with and industries. The committee will be King Salman who hailed the Turkish charged with revising and following up International mission calls leader’s “eff orts in the fi ght against all the decisions made as well as their terrorism and its fi nancing,” Saudi state implementation in co-ordination with news agency SPA reported. all governmental bodies. The Prime He also met Saudi crown prince Mo- Minister gave a directive to this eff ect hamed bin Salman before leaving for when held a meeting with a number of for swift lifting of blockade Kuwait for the second leg of his tour. Qatari industrialists, several ministers Erdogan was received by Kuwait’s and state off icials yesterday. The Prime QNA yers, writers and doctors, reviewed the situation, according to the delegation. Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber Minister was briefed on the challenges Doha repercussions of the blockade and its The delegation called on the siege al-Sabah, who has been mediating to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan facing Qatari industry, such as acquiring negative eff ects on families, especially countries to restore the situation as it resolve the crisis. basic materials, manufacturing and women and children, and on the right was before June 5. They stressed that the On June 5, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the dication Ankara sees Kuwait as the key the export process - and the solutions n international observer mis- to education, health, family reunifi ca- time has come to lift the blockade and United Arab Emirates and Egypt cut to solving the crisis. to them. The Prime Minister stressed sion, which is currently vis- tion and private property. The delega- to end it immediately, and compensate ties with Qatar, accusing it of backing Qatar’s Emir said on Friday he was the importance of developing Qatari Aiting Doha to investigate the tion pointed out that its members met those aff ected, reunite families, and al- extremism and fostering ties with Iran. ready for talks to resolve the row as industry to transform it into one of the violations of international law, has with 40 victims who explained the great low students to complete their educa- Doha denies the claim and has been long as the country’s sovereignty is re- most prominent in the region. described the blockade imposed by the damage they have suff ered, and the tion, and to deliver certifi cates to those strongly backed by Ankara throughout spected. Saudi bloc as unjust, a violation of in- pressures that they are being subjected who fi nished their studies, and to solve the standoff . Erdogan is to get a warm welcome EUROPE | Solidarity ternational law and the UN Charter and to because of the blockade. These cases all the problems in accordance with the The Turkish president will visit Qa- in Doha where Turkey has been loudly human dignity. will be documented and included in the provisions of international laws and na- tar today for his fi rst face-to-face talks applauded for sending in food, includ- Protest to denounce The delegation, which includes law- report which will be prepared on the tional constitutions. To Page 20 with His Highness the Emir Sheikh ing fruit, dairy and poultry products by unjust siege of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani since the ship and by plane to help Doha beat the A group of civil society organisations crisis began. blockade. and sympathisers of Qatar held a “The Emir will discuss with his According to the economy ministry, protest to denounce the unjust siege Palestinian right brother the President of Turkey bilater- Ankara has sent around 200 cargo planes against the state at the United Nations al relations between the two countries fi lled with aid since the crisis began. Plaza in Geneva. The demonstrators and means of enhancing and advancing Under a 2014 agreement, Ankara raised Qatar’s flags and pictures of its them, in addition to the developments maintains a military base in Qatar leadership during protest, shouting in the Gulf crisis,” the offi cial Qatar which is set to eventually host as many slogans calling for the lifting of siege and News Agency (QNA) said. as 1,000 troops. Pages 2, 18, 20 respect of the sovereignty of the State of “No one has any interest in prolong- Qatar. The protest was widely covered ing this crisis any more,” Erdogan said Mogherini calls by the Swiss media. In El Salvador, before leaving Istanbul. for direct talks Vinicio Cerezo, Secretary-General of the He accused “enemies” of seeking to Central American Integration System “fi re up tensions between brothers” in European Union foreign aff airs chief (SICA), who served as former President the region. Federica Mogherini yesterday called of Guatemala from 1986 to1991, has Erdogan praised Qatar’s behaviour for swift direct talks to resolve the Gulf expressed the organisation’s support in the crisis, saying Doha had sought crisis between Qatar and its neighbours. and solidarity with Qatar to face the to fi nd a solution through dialogue. “I Mogherini’s call came aft er she met media attack and false accusations. hope our visit will be benefi cial for the Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad region,” he said. al-Jaber al-Sabah and other offi cials ARAB WORLD | Confl ict The crisis has put Turkey in a deli- and expressed EU support for Kuwait’s cate position, and Erdogan has repeat- “relentless mediation eff orts” in the Militants take control edly said he wants to see an end to the dispute. Mogherini in a statement of major Syrian city dispute as soon as possible. called on “all the parties to enter into Militants yesterday took Idlib in Syria “From the fi rst moments of the Qa- negotiations to agree clear principles after rival rebels withdrew, strengthening tar crisis, we have been on the side of and a roadmap for a swift resolution of their grip over the northwestern city peace, stability, solidarity and dia- the crisis”. and its province, one of the last beyond logue,” said Erdogan. She said the EU was ready to support regime control. At the same time a car “As the elder statesman in the Gulf the process of negotiations and assist bomb exploded in Idlib killing 11 people, Israeli border police stand guard as a Palestinian man takes part in evening prayers outside the Lion’s Gate of Jerusalem’s Old region, Saudi Arabia has a big role to in the implementation of a plan for the nine of them militants, the Britain-based City yesterday. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that the Palestinian leadership will not accept Israel’s play in solving the crisis,” said Erdogan. resolution of the crisis, in particular in Syrian Observatory for Human Rights recently installed metal detectors at the gates of Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in Jerusalem. He said: “Israel does not have the right He said he supported the mediation the area of counter-terrorism. monitoring group said. Page 7 to install these metal detectors, because having sovereignty over Al-Aqsa Mosque is our Palestinian right.” Page 7 eff orts of Kuwait’s emir, a possible in- Road, infrastructure works in northern New Slata completed n a major step towards improving The project also provides a solution the construction of 21km of surface and keen to minimise the impact of con- traffi c movement and developing for the area’s rainwater fl ooding prob- groundwater drainage networks, which struction works on residents and visi- Iinfrastructure services across the lems during the rainy season, Ashghal will eliminate the rainwater fl ooding tors.