Afghanistan published Tuesday a lengthy list of delegates who will meet with the Taliban in Doha this week, including government officials, in what could become the highest-level dialogue between the sworn enemies in years.

A massive roster published by the presidential palace comprises 250 names, including President Ashraf Ghani's chief of staff, Abdul Salam Rahimi, as well as his election running mate, Amrullah Saleh, the former head of Afghan intelligence.

Other delegates named on the list come from many walks of Afghan life including youth leaders, tribal elders and -- significantly -- 52 women.

The last time the Taliban met with the Afghan government was at secretive talks in Pakistan in 2015, which were quickly derailed by the news that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar had died.

The three days of talks in Qatar, scheduled to start Friday, come amid a months-long push led by Washington for peace nearly 18 years after the US invasion, and as fresh violence rips across Afghanistan.

Any contact between the Kabul government and the Taliban is seen as hugely significant, because the insurgents view Ghani as a US stooge and his government as a puppet regime, and have long refused to speak with them directly.

They have insisted that any government officials attending this week's talks will be doing so only in a "personal capacity".

The US, which has cited significant progress after holding direct talks with the militants in Doha several times since September, is not expected to attend.&nbsp;

The militants have not announced a final list of who is headed to Doha, and distanced themselves from a report that suggested their delegation might also include women.

The peace process thus far has been widely criticised for a lack of female representation, and US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has pushed for greater inclusivity.

While the Taliban previously met with Afghan representatives and politicians in Moscow in February, those talks did not include members of Ghani's government.

The spokesman for former president Hamid Karzai, who was at the Moscow talks, said Karzai supported the "intra-Afghan" conference in Doha but would not be attending.

Kabul has also been left out of the talks with the Khalilzad and the US delegation, prompting concerns the Afghan government is being sidelined in its own peace process and underscoring the importance of this week's meetings in Doha.

This month, the United Nations said it had lifted travel bans for 11 Taliban delegates so they could attend talks.&nbsp;

That list includes Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Islamist movement and its top political leader, as well as Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban's chief negotiator and former deputy minister of foreign affairs.

The Taliban last week announced the start of Operation Fath, this year's spring offensive, and violence has continued apace across Afghanistan despite Khalilzad calling for a ceasefire.

Afghanistan published Tuesday a lengthy list of delegates who will meet with the Taliban in Doha this week, including government officials, in what could become the highest-level dialogue between the sworn enemies in years.

Afghanistan published Tuesday a lengthy list of delegates who will meet with the Taliban in Doha this week, including government officials, in what could become the highest-level dialogue between the sworn enemies in years. A massive roster published by the presidential palace comprises 250 names, including President Ashraf Ghani's chief of staff, Abdul Salam Rahimi, as well as his election running mate, Amrullah Saleh, the former head of Afghan intelligence. Other delegates named on the list come from many walks of Afghan life including youth leaders, tribal elders and -- significantly -- 52 women. The last time the Taliban met with the Afghan government was at secretive talks in Pakistan in 2015, which were quickly derailed by the news that Afghan Taliban leader Mullah Omar had died. The three days of talks in Qatar, scheduled to start Friday, come amid a months-long push led by Washington for peace nearly 18 years after the US invasion, and as fresh violence rips across Afghanistan. Any contact between the Kabul government and the Taliban is seen as hugely significant, because the insurgents view Ghani as a US stooge and his government as a puppet regime, and have long refused to speak with them directly. They have insisted that any government officials attending this week's talks will be doing so only in a "personal capacity". The US, which has cited significant progress after holding direct talks with the militants in Doha several times since September, is not expected to attend. The militants have not announced a final list of who is headed to Doha, and distanced themselves from a report that suggested their delegation might also include women. The peace process thus far has been widely criticised for a lack of female representation, and US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad has pushed for greater inclusivity. While the Taliban previously met with Afghan representatives and politicians in Moscow in February, those talks did not include members of Ghani's government. The spokesman for former president Hamid Karzai, who was at the Moscow talks, said Karzai supported the "intra-Afghan" conference in Doha but would not be attending. Kabul has also been left out of the talks with the Khalilzad and the US delegation, prompting concerns the Afghan government is being sidelined in its own peace process and underscoring the importance of this week's meetings in Doha. This month, the United Nations said it had lifted travel bans for 11 Taliban delegates so they could attend talks. That list includes Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, a co-founder of the Islamist movement and its top political leader, as well as Sher Mohammad Abbas Stanikzai, the Taliban's chief negotiator and former deputy minister of foreign affairs. The Taliban last week announced the start of Operation Fath, this year's spring offensive, and violence has continued apace across Afghanistan despite Khalilzad calling for a ceasefire.

Hundreds of Afghan delegates to meet with Taliban in Doha

Afghanistan's chief executive <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/im-for-talks-with-taliban-without-any-conditions-says-afghanistan-chief-executive-abdullah-abdullah-192333&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjb17zq8L_hAhXL73MBHX_xArgQFggFMAA&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw3lGAhloVZgWcxIRcd8szOD">Abdullah Abdullah </a>welcomed Kabul's decision Sunday to send a delegation to meet with the <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/interim-government-not-in-afghanistans-interests-abdullah-abdullah-189400&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjb17zq8L_hAhXL73MBHX_xArgQFggIMAE&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw0-WJpkA7qYW01xJzINrwrG">Taliban</a>, saying he hoped they would present a "unified position" for the Afghan people.

In an ongoing push to find a way out of the country's 17-year-old war, Kabul had earlier announced it would send representatives to "exchange views" with Taliban officials at fresh talks, due to take place in the Qatari capital Doha later this month.

US and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks but the militant group has so far refused to talk directly to the Afghan government, which they consider an illegitimate regime.

"We need to have governmental and nongovernmental politicians in one platform, and talk future peace and reconciliation," Abdullah told AFP on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Jordan.

"The aim of (the delegation) is to present a unified position of (the) people of Afghanistan", he added.

Mohammad <a href="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/taliban-an-obstacle-in-peace-process-afghan-chief-executive-officer-206136&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjb17zq8L_hAhXL73MBHX_xArgQFggLMAI&amp;client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=006054055338965708568:09spwrlibei&amp;usg=AOvVaw1UpH1pikEKs4TdJhoz57PL">Omar Daudzai</a>, President Ashraf Ghani's envoy for peace, said the delegation would serve only to swap views with the Taliban, and its members would not necessarily be the same as a formal negotiating team.

Officials will meet Wednesday in Kabul to finalise delegates, and to decide who might comprise an official negotiating team.

In a statement, the Taliban said the upcoming Doha talks would clarify participants' "views and policies and sharing their stance".

"The said conference is not a negotiations summit or meeting," the Islamist extremist group said.

The Taliban and Afghan opposition groups held a similar meeting in Moscow in February.

US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad spent last week in Afghanistan as part of an ongoing push for a peace deal.&nbsp;

His visit came against the backdrop of strains between Washington and Ghani's administration, which has complained bitterly of being sidelined in peace talks.

Khalilzad has repeatedly called on Ghani to form a strong negotiating team to reach a deal before the country's delayed presidential elections, now slated for September.

On Friday, during a side trip, Khalilzad made to Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said he had some "brotherly advice" for Afghanistan, suggesting an interim government in Kabul to help smooth the talks process.

It was not the first time Khan had made such a suggestion. Kabul was again furious, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned a Pakistani diplomat to explain the remarks.

The notion of an interim government to tide things over between the end of Ghani's term in May and an election has sparked controversy in Afghanistan, and there is as yet no clarity as to what will happen.

An "interim government for the sake just of interim government, I am not for it, (it) will not solve anything," Abdullah said.

"An interim arrangement as a result of the package for peace that is agreed upon between both sides -- why not?"

Khalilzad left Afghanistan on Sunday following what the US embassy called "productive" talks.

"Khalilzad was pleased to see the Afghans with whom he met, inside and outside government, coming together to put peace first," the embassy said in a statement.

Afghanistan's chief executive Abdullah Abdullah welcomed Kabul's decision Sunday to send a delegation to meet with the Taliban, saying he hoped they would present a "unified position" for the Afghan people.

Afghanistan's chief executive Abdullah Abdullah welcomed Kabul's decision Sunday to send a delegation to meet with the Taliban, saying he hoped they would present a "unified position" for the Afghan people. In an ongoing push to find a way out of the country's 17-year-old war, Kabul had earlier announced it would send representatives to "exchange views" with Taliban officials at fresh talks, due to take place in the Qatari capital Doha later this month. US and Taliban officials have held several rounds of talks but the militant group has so far refused to talk directly to the Afghan government, which they consider an illegitimate regime. "We need to have governmental and nongovernmental politicians in one platform, and talk future peace and reconciliation," Abdullah told AFP on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Jordan. "The aim of (the delegation) is to present a unified position of (the) people of Afghanistan", he added. Mohammad Omar Daudzai, President Ashraf Ghani's envoy for peace, said the delegation would serve only to swap views with the Taliban, and its members would not necessarily be the same as a formal negotiating team. Officials will meet Wednesday in Kabul to finalise delegates, and to decide who might comprise an official negotiating team. In a statement, the Taliban said the upcoming Doha talks would clarify participants' "views and policies and sharing their stance". "The said conference is not a negotiations summit or meeting," the Islamist extremist group said. The Taliban and Afghan opposition groups held a similar meeting in Moscow in February. US envoy Zalmay Khalilzad spent last week in Afghanistan as part of an ongoing push for a peace deal. His visit came against the backdrop of strains between Washington and Ghani's administration, which has complained bitterly of being sidelined in peace talks. Khalilzad has repeatedly called on Ghani to form a strong negotiating team to reach a deal before the country's delayed presidential elections, now slated for September. On Friday, during a side trip, Khalilzad made to Pakistan, Prime Minister Imran Khan said he had some "brotherly advice" for Afghanistan, suggesting an interim government in Kabul to help smooth the talks process. It was not the first time Khan had made such a suggestion. Kabul was again furious, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned a Pakistani diplomat to explain the remarks. The notion of an interim government to tide things over between the end of Ghani's term in May and an election has sparked controversy in Afghanistan, and there is as yet no clarity as to what will happen. An "interim government for the sake just of interim government, I am not for it, (it) will not solve anything," Abdullah said. "An interim arrangement as a result of the package for peace that is agreed upon between both sides -- why not?" Khalilzad left Afghanistan on Sunday following what the US embassy called "productive" talks. "Khalilzad was pleased to see the Afghans with whom he met, inside and outside government, coming together to put peace first," the embassy said in a statement.

Afghan chief executive supports delegation for Taliban talks

Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years.

Halep made an aggressive start and claimed an early break with a scorching backhand winner to set the tone for the evening.

The Romanian clinched the opening set before WTA Finals champion Svitolina upped her aggression from the baseline to snatch a break for 2-1 lead in the second set.

After bagging the second set, Svitolina claimed an early break again in the final set, while also frustrating her opponent with her relentless court coverage.

Seeking another break of serve to close out the match, Svitolina came out on top in several high-octane rallies during an eight-minute sixth game and held three break points for a 5-1 lead in the final set.

But Halep summoned her powers of recovery to fend off all three points and went on to clinch five straight games en route a remarkable victory.

Halep last defeated Svitolina in the 2017 French Open quarter-finals, and since then had not won a set in their following three encounters.

The 2014 Doha champion was pleased to set the record straight to move into her first final of the season.

"I'm happy because I didn't give up... The two finals that I played against her in Rome I gave up and I was not ready to fight," said Halep, who will face unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens in Saturday's final.

"Now I change that, and it makes me happier, because I showed myself that I'm able to do that."

"The mental part is really important... but definitely today I was stronger physically as well, because against Svitolina (it) is never easy to win a match. She's very strong on the legs."

Mertens scored her second top 10 victory of the week as she battled past three-times Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber 6-4, 2-6, 6-1.

Mertens, who defeated fifth seed Kiki Bertens in the quarter-final, has failed to win a set against Halep in her previous two meetings -- both on clay last year.

Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years.

Top seed Simona Halep came back from 4-1 down in the deciding set to beat Elina Svitolina 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the Qatar Open semi-final on Friday, marking her first victory over the Ukrainian in nearly two years. Halep made an aggressive start and claimed an early break with a scorching backhand winner to set the tone for the evening. The Romanian clinched the opening set before WTA Finals champion Svitolina upped her aggression from the baseline to snatch a break for 2-1 lead in the second set. After bagging the second set, Svitolina claimed an early break again in the final set, while also frustrating her opponent with her relentless court coverage. Seeking another break of serve to close out the match, Svitolina came out on top in several high-octane rallies during an eight-minute sixth game and held three break points for a 5-1 lead in the final set. But Halep summoned her powers of recovery to fend off all three points and went on to clinch five straight games en route a remarkable victory. Halep last defeated Svitolina in the 2017 French Open quarter-finals, and since then had not won a set in their following three encounters. The 2014 Doha champion was pleased to set the record straight to move into her first final of the season. "I'm happy because I didn't give up... The two finals that I played against her in Rome I gave up and I was not ready to fight," said Halep, who will face unseeded Belgian Elise Mertens in Saturday's final. "Now I change that, and it makes me happier, because I showed myself that I'm able to do that." "The mental part is really important... but definitely today I was stronger physically as well, because against Svitolina (it) is never easy to win a match. She's very strong on the legs." Mertens scored her second top 10 victory of the week as she battled past three-times Grand Slam champion Angelique Kerber 6-4, 2-6, 6-1. Mertens, who defeated fifth seed Kiki Bertens in the quarter-final, has failed to win a set against Halep in her previous two meetings -- both on clay last year.

Simona Halep outlasts Elina Svitolina in Doha thriller, faces Mertens in final

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday offered the Taliban the possibility of opening an office in Afghanistan but the proposal was swiftly spurned by the group that is determined to keep his government out of accelerating peace talks.

Ghani has expressed alarm at the Taliban shutting his administration out of negotiations with the United States as well as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/afghan-government-slams-russia-for-allowing-un-blacklisted-taliban-to-attend-moscow-talks-196206">recent Moscow talks</a> with Afghan opposition politicians, and repeated earlier offers to give the group a secure official address to aid any future diplomacy between the two sides.

"If the Taliban want an office, I will give it to them in Kabul, Nangarhar or Kandahar by tomorrow," Ghani said while visiting the province of Nangarhar, a hotbed of insurgent violence on the border with Pakistan.

"We will bring a lasting and honourable peace to the country," he said.

Nangarhar is a stronghold of the Taliban, the hardline Islamist movement that now controls or contests districts across nearly half the country, more than 17 years since they were toppled from power.

Taliban officials in Moscow last week stressed the importance of a formal office among a string of demands that included the removal of Western sanctions and travel bans on Taliban members, prisoner releases and an end to "propaganda" against the group.

Taliban spokesman Sohail Shahin later told Reuters that the focus was international recognition of their existing site in Doha, Qatar.

On Sunday he said Ghani was trying to harm the peace efforts with his latest offer.

"Our demand about having an official political office is clear, we want that our office in Doha is recognised by the international community and the United Nations," Shahin said.

"By this, Ghani is trying to change the topic and harm the on-going peace efforts."

Taliban negotiators are due to meet US&nbsp;peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad for another round of talks in Qatar on February 25.

The talks are expected to centre around a ceasefire to end America's longest war and the withdrawal of foreign troops.

Some 14,000 US&nbsp;troops are based in Afghanistan as part of a US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. Some US&nbsp;forces also carry out counter-terrorism operations.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday offered the Taliban the possibility of opening an office in Afghanistan but the proposal was swiftly spurned by the group that is determined to keep his government out of accelerating peace talks.

Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday offered the Taliban the possibility of opening an office in Afghanistan but the proposal was swiftly spurned by the group that is determined to keep his government out of accelerating peace talks. Ghani has expressed alarm at the Taliban shutting his administration out of negotiations with the United States as well as recent Moscow talks with Afghan opposition politicians, and repeated earlier offers to give the group a secure official address to aid any future diplomacy between the two sides. "If the Taliban want an office, I will give it to them in Kabul, Nangarhar or Kandahar by tomorrow," Ghani said while visiting the province of Nangarhar, a hotbed of insurgent violence on the border with Pakistan. "We will bring a lasting and honourable peace to the country," he said. Nangarhar is a stronghold of the Taliban, the hardline Islamist movement that now controls or contests districts across nearly half the country, more than 17 years since they were toppled from power. Taliban officials in Moscow last week stressed the importance of a formal office among a string of demands that included the removal of Western sanctions and travel bans on Taliban members, prisoner releases and an end to "propaganda" against the group. Taliban spokesman Sohail Shahin later told Reuters that the focus was international recognition of their existing site in Doha, Qatar. On Sunday he said Ghani was trying to harm the peace efforts with his latest offer. "Our demand about having an official political office is clear, we want that our office in Doha is recognised by the international community and the United Nations," Shahin said. "By this, Ghani is trying to change the topic and harm the on-going peace efforts." Taliban negotiators are due to meet US peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad for another round of talks in Qatar on February 25. The talks are expected to centre around a ceasefire to end America's longest war and the withdrawal of foreign troops. Some 14,000 US troops are based in Afghanistan as part of a US-led NATO mission to train, assist and advise Afghan forces. Some US forces also carry out counter-terrorism operations.

Afghan president Ghani offers Taliban local office, group desire Doha instead

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/qatar-to-withdraw-from-opec-as-of-jauary-2019-minister-181096">Qatar</a> said on Saturday it remained committed to the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/saudi-arabia-hosts-gcc-summit-amid-qatar-tensions-khashoggi-crisis-182600">Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)</a> but the bloc needed to enforce its own rules better, signalling a reformed alliance could help end a row between Doha and some of its neighbours.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said Qatar was still counting on Kuwait and other regional powers to help solve the row that has seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and non-GCC member Egypt impose a political and economic boycott on Doha since June 2017.

"We believe that we are more relevant as a bloc" for the West than as separate and fragmented countries, he told the annual Doha Forum but said the GCC had "no teeth" and needed a dispute resolution mechanism.

"They have mechanisms in place and never trigger them (to hold people accountable) because some countries believe they are non-binding, so we need to make sure all the rules we are submitting to are binding to everyone in this region."

The four states accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism and cosying up to regional foe Iran. Doha denies the charges and says the boycott aims to curtail its sovereignty.

The dispute has eluded mediation efforts by Kuwait, which along with Oman is a part of the GCC, and the United States, which believes Gulf unity is essential to containing Iran.

In a sign the dispute still festered, Qatar's emir did not attend an annual Gulf summit on Sunday. Doha earlier announced it was quitting OPEC to focus on gas in a move seen as a shot at the oil exporter club's de facto ruler Saudi Arabia.

"In the Gulf crisis, our position remains unchanged - lifting the blockade and settling the differences via dialogue," Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani told the forum.

Possible EU help

The boycotting states say the dispute is not a priority and insist Qatar meet a list of demands submitted to it at the start of the crisis that includes closing Al Jazeera TV, reducing ties with Tehran and closing a Turkish military base in Qatar.

Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran are locked in several proxy wars in the Middle East, while Turkey's ties with the kingdom have been strained by the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate.

Foreign ministers from Iran and Turkey, which both supported Qatar in the row, are attending the two-day forum.

Romania's foreign minister, Teodor-Viorel Meleşcanu, told the gathering that Romania, which takes the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from January for the next six months, was working on organising a conference that could help solve the Gulf rift.

"We are thinking about a joint event for the EU and Arab countries and we would like to have a direct discussion with the GCC countries. We hope to hold it in April and in principle, it would take place in Bucharest," he later told Reuters.

It was not clear yet whether the EU would endorse the conference.

Bahrain's foreign minister said on Saturday there was no need for mediation as the solution lay in Doha's hands.

"It is not our crisis, it is Qatar's crisis. So there is no need for a mediator to solve it, what it needs is for a wise person from its (Qatar's) people," Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa tweeted.

Qatar said on Saturday it remained committed to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) but the bloc needed to enforce its own rules better, signalling a reformed alliance could help end a row between Doha and some of its neighbours.

Qatar said on Saturday it remained committed to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) but the bloc needed to enforce its own rules better, signalling a reformed alliance could help end a row between Doha and some of its neighbours. Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said Qatar was still counting on Kuwait and other regional powers to help solve the row that has seen Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and non-GCC member Egypt impose a political and economic boycott on Doha since June 2017. "We believe that we are more relevant as a bloc" for the West than as separate and fragmented countries, he told the annual Doha Forum but said the GCC had "no teeth" and needed a dispute resolution mechanism. "They have mechanisms in place and never trigger them (to hold people accountable) because some countries believe they are non-binding, so we need to make sure all the rules we are submitting to are binding to everyone in this region." The four states accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism and cosying up to regional foe Iran. Doha denies the charges and says the boycott aims to curtail its sovereignty. The dispute has eluded mediation efforts by Kuwait, which along with Oman is a part of the GCC, and the United States, which believes Gulf unity is essential to containing Iran. In a sign the dispute still festered, Qatar's emir did not attend an annual Gulf summit on Sunday. Doha earlier announced it was quitting OPEC to focus on gas in a move seen as a shot at the oil exporter club's de facto ruler Saudi Arabia. "In the Gulf crisis, our position remains unchanged - lifting the blockade and settling the differences via dialogue," Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani told the forum. Possible EU help The boycotting states say the dispute is not a priority and insist Qatar meet a list of demands submitted to it at the start of the crisis that includes closing Al Jazeera TV, reducing ties with Tehran and closing a Turkish military base in Qatar. Sunni Muslim Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Muslim Iran are locked in several proxy wars in the Middle East, while Turkey's ties with the kingdom have been strained by the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at the kingdom's Istanbul consulate. Foreign ministers from Iran and Turkey, which both supported Qatar in the row, are attending the two-day forum. Romania's foreign minister, Teodor-Viorel Meleşcanu, told the gathering that Romania, which takes the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU from January for the next six months, was working on organising a conference that could help solve the Gulf rift. "We are thinking about a joint event for the EU and Arab countries and we would like to have a direct discussion with the GCC countries. We hope to hold it in April and in principle, it would take place in Bucharest," he later told Reuters. It was not clear yet whether the EU would endorse the conference. Bahrain's foreign minister said on Saturday there was no need for mediation as the solution lay in Doha's hands. "It is not our crisis, it is Qatar's crisis. So there is no need for a mediator to solve it, what it needs is for a wise person from its (Qatar's) people," Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa tweeted.

Qatar says Gulf Arab bloc needs reform to give it teeth

Qatar's private sector grew by almost 6 per cent in 2018 despite volatile oil prices, its finance minister said on Saturday.

Last year the economy saw outflows, but 2018 was a good year with most of the growth coming from the private sector, Ali Sharif al-Emadi told the Doha Forum on Saturday.

Qatar's public sector institutions, including its sovereign wealth fund, had injected more $40 billion into Qatari banks during the initial months of its rift with Saudi Arabia and its allies to help the banking sector mitigate the impact of fund outflows.

Qatar's private sector grew by almost 6 per cent in 2018 despite volatile oil prices, its finance minister said on Saturday. Last year the economy saw outflows, but 2018 was a good year with most of the growth coming from the private sector, Ali Sharif al-Emadi told the Doha Forum on Saturday.

Qatar's private sector grew by almost 6 per cent in 2018 despite volatile oil prices, its finance minister said on Saturday. Last year the economy saw outflows, but 2018 was a good year with most of the growth coming from the private sector, Ali Sharif al-Emadi told the Doha Forum on Saturday. Qatar's public sector institutions, including its sovereign wealth fund, had injected more $40 billion into Qatari banks during the initial months of its rift with Saudi Arabia and its allies to help the banking sector mitigate the impact of fund outflows.

Qatar's private sector grew almost 6% in 2018 despite oil price volatility

With the<a href="http://www.wionews.com/football/football-neymar-signs-record-breaking-264-million-deal-with-psg-18572" target="_blank"> transfer of football phenomenon Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain</a>, Qatar is hitting back at its Gulf rivals with a high-profile soft power play.

Paris Saint-Germain -- owned by sanctions-hit Qatar -- have signed Brazilian forward Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record transfer fee of 222 million euros (around $264 million), more than doubling the previous record.

&quot;The announcement of Neymar&#39;s transfer to PSG was piloted among the high ranks in Qatar as a sort of communications strategy that would overshadow the debate around all other considerations, namely terrorism,&quot; said Mathieu Guidere, an expert in the geopolitics of the Arab world.

&quot;For days now, nobody has mentioned the negative -- it&#39;s all about the Neymar transfer.&quot;&nbsp;

The transfer comes as Qatar faces its worst political crisis in decades, with Saudi Arabia leading a four-state bloc that suspended all ties with Doha last month over accusations the emirate had close ties to Islamist extremist groups and Saudi Arabia&#39;s regional rival Iran.&nbsp;

Qatar has denied the allegations, arguing that the sanctions aim to bring the gas-rich emirate to its knees.

&#39;International soft power&#39;

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain pulled their ambassadors from Qatar, ordered all Qataris to return home and banned Qatar from using their ports or airspace.

The Saudi-led bloc later publicly released a 13-point list of demands as a condition for the end of the sanctions.

The list includes the closure of Qatari broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, which the bloc accuses of hate speech and encouraging extremism over its airing of the tapes of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, killed in a US operation in 2011.

Qatar, the world&#39;s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), has risen as a key broker over the past two decades in the multiple conflicts and clashes of the Arab world.

The tiny emirate has also leveraged power through massive investments in real estate abroad, including hotels, as well as in aviation, media and professional sports.

In his first and only speech since the start of the crisis, Qatar&#39;s emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, openly said he would be turning to &quot;sources of soft power at the international level&quot;.

With the Neymar transfer, Doha may be looking to cash in its cache of soft power.

&quot;This is a soft power stunt. Qatar needs to demonstrate to the world... that, despite all the allegations, Qatar is the most resilient country in the Middle East by far,&quot; said Andreas Krieg, a political risk analyst at King&#39;s College London.

&quot;Having the best player in the world shows the rest of the world that if Qatar is determined, they still have the largest assets to draw from and if needed they will use the money that they have to further their agenda,&quot; Krieg told AFP.

&#39;At whatever price&#39;

Qatar&#39;s ties to international football go back several years and the Gulf state is to host the 2022 World Cup.

International sports broadcaster beIN SPORTS was a subsidiary of Al-Jazeera, and between 2013 and June 2017, FC Barcelona athletes wore jerseys bearing the Qatar Airways logo.

&quot;For the time being, Qatar&#39;s opponents are paralysed by this circumvention strategy, as none of them has that level of media leverage in the field of international sports,&quot; said Guidere.

French government spokesman Christophe Castaner on Thursday called the expected transfer a &quot;communications operation&quot;, but said Qatar must still be &quot;transparent&quot; over any support for extremism.

On the flipside, one argument backing Neymar&#39;s decision to leave Barca, on top of reportedly tripling his wages, is to move out of the shadow of Lionel Messi.

If the Neymar transfer goes through, it would more than double the previous record of 105 million euros ($124 million) that Manchester United paid Juventus last year for France&#39;s Paul Pogba.

The transfer will hardly dent Qatar&#39;s budget.

Qatar has moved to boost business with the West since the start of the Gulf crisis, which analysts says threatens the unity of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council.&nbsp;

Doha has signed two major contracts in recent weeks, both military: a $12 billion acquisition deal to purchase F-15 fighters from the United States and a $6 billion deal for navy vessels from Italy.

&quot;The per capita reserves they have are the greatest in the world,&quot; said Krieg.

The cost of the Neymar transfer &quot;sends a very strong signal to the sporting world and a very strong signal of defiance towards the UAE and Saudi Arabia,&quot; he added.

&quot;They wanted this player and they used the money to buy him at whatever price.&quot;

A four-state bloc, led by Saudi Arabia, had suspended all ties with Doha last month over accusations the emirate had close ties to Islamist extremist groups

With the transfer of football phenomenon Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain, Qatar is hitting back at its Gulf rivals with a high-profile soft power play. Paris Saint-Germain -- owned by sanctions-hit Qatar -- have signed Brazilian forward Neymar from Barcelona for a world-record transfer fee of 222 million euros (around $264 million), more than doubling the previous record. "The announcement of Neymar's transfer to PSG was piloted among the high ranks in Qatar as a sort of communications strategy that would overshadow the debate around all other considerations, namely terrorism," said Mathieu Guidere, an expert in the geopolitics of the Arab world. "For days now, nobody has mentioned the negative -- it's all about the Neymar transfer." The transfer comes as Qatar faces its worst political crisis in decades, with Saudi Arabia leading a four-state bloc that suspended all ties with Doha last month over accusations the emirate had close ties to Islamist extremist groups and Saudi Arabia's regional rival Iran. Qatar has denied the allegations, arguing that the sanctions aim to bring the gas-rich emirate to its knees. 'International soft power' On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain pulled their ambassadors from Qatar, ordered all Qataris to return home and banned Qatar from using their ports or airspace. The Saudi-led bloc later publicly released a 13-point list of demands as a condition for the end of the sanctions. The list includes the closure of Qatari broadcast giant Al-Jazeera, which the bloc accuses of hate speech and encouraging extremism over its airing of the tapes of Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, killed in a US operation in 2011. Qatar, the world's largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), has risen as a key broker over the past two decades in the multiple conflicts and clashes of the Arab world. The tiny emirate has also leveraged power through massive investments in real estate abroad, including hotels, as well as in aviation, media and professional sports. In his first and only speech since the start of the crisis, Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, openly said he would be turning to "sources of soft power at the international level". With the Neymar transfer, Doha may be looking to cash in its cache of soft power. "This is a soft power stunt. Qatar needs to demonstrate to the world... that, despite all the allegations, Qatar is the most resilient country in the Middle East by far," said Andreas Krieg, a political risk analyst at King's College London. "Having the best player in the world shows the rest of the world that if Qatar is determined, they still have the largest assets to draw from and if needed they will use the money that they have to further their agenda," Krieg told AFP. 'At whatever price' Qatar's ties to international football go back several years and the Gulf state is to host the 2022 World Cup. International sports broadcaster beIN SPORTS was a subsidiary of Al-Jazeera, and between 2013 and June 2017, FC Barcelona athletes wore jerseys bearing the Qatar Airways logo. "For the time being, Qatar's opponents are paralysed by this circumvention strategy, as none of them has that level of media leverage in the field of international sports," said Guidere. French government spokesman Christophe Castaner on Thursday called the expected transfer a "communications operation", but said Qatar must still be "transparent" over any support for extremism. On the flipside, one argument backing Neymar's decision to leave Barca, on top of reportedly tripling his wages, is to move out of the shadow of Lionel Messi. If the Neymar transfer goes through, it would more than double the previous record of 105 million euros ($124 million) that Manchester United paid Juventus last year for France's Paul Pogba. The transfer will hardly dent Qatar's budget. Qatar has moved to boost business with the West since the start of the Gulf crisis, which analysts says threatens the unity of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council. Doha has signed two major contracts in recent weeks, both military: a $12 billion acquisition deal to purchase F-15 fighters from the United States and a $6 billion deal for navy vessels from Italy. "The per capita reserves they have are the greatest in the world," said Krieg. The cost of the Neymar transfer "sends a very strong signal to the sporting world and a very strong signal of defiance towards the UAE and Saudi Arabia," he added. "They wanted this player and they used the money to buy him at whatever price."

After Arab states blockade, Qatar hits back with Neymar transfer

The United States and&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;signed an agreement on Tuesday aimed at combating the financing of terrorism, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Doha to try to end a month-long rift between Western-allied Arab states.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed sanctions on&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and allying with the Gulf Arab states&#39; arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha denies.

Tillerson said the agreement signed with his&nbsp;Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, had been under discussion for weeks.

&quot;The agreement which we both have signed on behalf of our governments represents weeks of intensive discussions between experts and reinvigorates the spirit of the Riyadh summit,&quot; Tillerson said at a joint news conference with Sheikh Mohammed.

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump met representatives of Arab states during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May.

&quot;The memorandum lays out a series of steps that each country will take in coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter terrorism activities globally,&quot; Tillerson added.

The four Arab states boycotting&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;said later on Tuesday that sanctions would remain in place until it met their demands and that they would keep a close eye on the tiny Gulf monarchy&#39;s efforts to fight terrorism funding.

In a joint statement released in their state media, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said they appreciated US&nbsp;efforts in fighting terrorism but that they would closely monitor&nbsp;Qatar&#39;s behaviour.

Sheikh Mohammed said the agreement was not linked to the crisis with the four Arab countries, which the United States fears could impact its military and counter-terrorism operations and increase Iran&#39;s influence in the region.

Tehran has sent food supplies to&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;and allows the country&#39;s carrier to fly through its airspace.

Qatar&nbsp;denies it supports militant organisations and says the boycott is part of a campaign to rein in its independent foreign policy.

&quot;Today, the state of&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;was the first to sign the executive programme with the United States to fight terrorism financing,&quot; Sheikh Mohammed told the news conference.

Tillerson said the agreement includes milestones to ensure both countries are accountable through their commitments.

&quot;Together the United States and&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;will do more to track down funding sources, will do more to collaborate and share information and will do more to keep the region ... safe,&quot; Tillerson said.

Egypt later said at a meeting of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Washington that the coalition should not include member states that supported terrorism, like&nbsp;Qatar.

A US&nbsp;official who had knowledge of the deliberations at the meeting later said &quot;the other working group countries dismissed the Egyptian demand&quot;.

&quot;Terrorism is a global problem that requires a global response - and we all have work to do,&rdquo; the US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said.

Diplomacy

Accompanied by Kuwaiti mediators, Tillerson flew to Doha on Tuesday for talks with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, over the crisis. He said he was due to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with officials from the four Arab countries.

On Monday, he and British National Security Advisor Mark Sedwill met with officials from Kuwait in order to patch up the row among the Western-allied countries.

Following those discussions, the United States, Britain and Kuwait urged all parties to resolve their dispute quickly through dialogue, Kuwait state news agency KUNA reported.

Kuwait&#39;s ruler, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, expressed &quot;bitterness&quot; on Tuesday over what he described as an unprecedented rift in the Gulf, but said he intended to push ahead with mediation efforts.

Foreign ministers from the four Arab states leading the boycott of&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;will meet with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Wednesday.

Coming from some of the most influential powers in the dispute, the plea for a negotiated solution may be aimed at an earlier refusal by&nbsp;Qatar&#39;s adversaries to discuss renewing ties with Doha until it first acquiesced to a list of demands. They include closing the Al Jazeera TV channel, shutting a Turkish military base in&nbsp;Qatar&nbsp;and downgrading ties with Iran.

Qatar&nbsp;hosts Udeid Air Base, the largest US&nbsp;military facility in the Middle East, from which US-led coalition aircraft stage sorties against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq.

US President Donald Trump has expressed support for Saudi Arabia in the dispute.

Accompanied by Kuwaiti mediators, US secretary of state Rex Tillerson flew to Doha on Tuesday for talks with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, over the crisis. He said he was due to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with officials from the four Arab countries

The United States and Qatar signed an agreement on Tuesday aimed at combating the financing of terrorism, as US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson visited Doha to try to end a month-long rift between Western-allied Arab states. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed sanctions on Qatar last month, accusing it of financing extremist groups and allying with the Gulf Arab states' arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha denies. Tillerson said the agreement signed with his Qatari counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, had been under discussion for weeks. "The agreement which we both have signed on behalf of our governments represents weeks of intensive discussions between experts and reinvigorates the spirit of the Riyadh summit," Tillerson said at a joint news conference with Sheikh Mohammed. US President Donald Trump met representatives of Arab states during a visit to Saudi Arabia in May. "The memorandum lays out a series of steps that each country will take in coming months and years to interrupt and disable terror financing flows and intensify counter terrorism activities globally," Tillerson added. The four Arab states boycotting Qatar said later on Tuesday that sanctions would remain in place until it met their demands and that they would keep a close eye on the tiny Gulf monarchy's efforts to fight terrorism funding. In a joint statement released in their state media, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said they appreciated US efforts in fighting terrorism but that they would closely monitor Qatar's behaviour. Sheikh Mohammed said the agreement was not linked to the crisis with the four Arab countries, which the United States fears could impact its military and counter-terrorism operations and increase Iran's influence in the region. Tehran has sent food supplies to Qatar and allows the country's carrier to fly through its airspace. Qatar denies it supports militant organisations and says the boycott is part of a campaign to rein in its independent foreign policy. "Today, the state of Qatar was the first to sign the executive programme with the United States to fight terrorism financing," Sheikh Mohammed told the news conference. Tillerson said the agreement includes milestones to ensure both countries are accountable through their commitments. "Together the United States and Qatar will do more to track down funding sources, will do more to collaborate and share information and will do more to keep the region ... safe," Tillerson said. Egypt later said at a meeting of the US-led coalition against Islamic State in Washington that the coalition should not include member states that supported terrorism, like Qatar. A US official who had knowledge of the deliberations at the meeting later said "the other working group countries dismissed the Egyptian demand". "Terrorism is a global problem that requires a global response - and we all have work to do,” the US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said. Diplomacy Accompanied by Kuwaiti mediators, Tillerson flew to Doha on Tuesday for talks with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, over the crisis. He said he was due to travel to Saudi Arabia for talks with officials from the four Arab countries. On Monday, he and British National Security Advisor Mark Sedwill met with officials from Kuwait in order to patch up the row among the Western-allied countries. Following those discussions, the United States, Britain and Kuwait urged all parties to resolve their dispute quickly through dialogue, Kuwait state news agency KUNA reported. Kuwait's ruler, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah, expressed "bitterness" on Tuesday over what he described as an unprecedented rift in the Gulf, but said he intended to push ahead with mediation efforts. Foreign ministers from the four Arab states leading the boycott of Qatar will meet with Tillerson in the Saudi Arabian city of Jeddah on Wednesday. Coming from some of the most influential powers in the dispute, the plea for a negotiated solution may be aimed at an earlier refusal by Qatar's adversaries to discuss renewing ties with Doha until it first acquiesced to a list of demands. They include closing the Al Jazeera TV channel, shutting a Turkish military base in Qatar and downgrading ties with Iran. Qatar hosts Udeid Air Base, the largest US military facility in the Middle East, from which US-led coalition aircraft stage sorties against Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. US President Donald Trump has expressed support for Saudi Arabia in the dispute.

US, Qatar sign accord on combating terrorism financing

Qatar moved Sunday to avoid an escalation of its feud with Gulf neighbours by telling their citizens they are welcome to stay, while boasting of &quot;business as usual&quot; for vital gas exports.

Iran also announced it had sent tonnes of vegetables to Qatar, which has seen food imports threatened after its neighbours cut air, sea and land links with the country.&nbsp;

Nearly a week after Saudi Arabia and several of its allies severed ties with Qatar in an unprecedented Gulf diplomatic crisis, there were no signs of the bitter dispute being resolved.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and others accused Qatar of supporting extremist groups, an assertion since backed by US President Donald Trump.

Qatar strongly rejects the allegations and says it is open to talks on ending the dispute, which also saw the three Gulf states order all Qataris out of their countries within 14 days.

Mutlaq Al-Qahtani, a special adviser to Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, told AFP the decision to sever ties would not prove successful.

&quot;I think this is not about counter-terrorism, it&#39;s not about terror financing,&quot; he said.

&quot;I think it is about an orchestrated campaign against my country to pressure my country to change its active, independent foreign policy.

&quot;This policy of domination and control is not going to work.&quot;

&quot;When it comes to terrorism, Qatar has never supported terrorism, Qatar does not support terrorism, Qatar will not support terrorism,&quot; Qahtani said.

The crisis has raised major concerns of instability in the region, and on Sunday Kuwait&#39;s foreign minister said his country would continue its mediation efforts.

State media reported late Saturday Doha would &quot;not take any measures against residents of Qatar who hold the nationalities of countries that severed diplomatic ties... on the back of hostile and tendentious campaigns against the country&quot;.

No gas interruption&nbsp;

This will come as a relief to the more than 11,000 people from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain living in Qatar.

Concerns have been raised for the impact of these measures on people in all the countries affected.&nbsp;

&quot;For potentially thousands of people across the Gulf, the effect of the steps imposed in the wake of this political dispute is suffering, heartbreak and fear,&quot; Amnesty International has said.

Saudi Arabia said Sunday it was ordering &quot;suitable measures&quot; to help families with mixed citizenships, but provided few details.

Despite the unprecedented sanctions, Qatar says that its crucial exports of liquified natural gas have not been interrupted.

&quot;Qatar Petroleum... is conducting business as usual&nbsp;throughout all its upstream, midstream and downstream businesses and&nbsp;operations, and in all activities across all of QP&#39;s world-class facilities,&quot; a statement read.

Gas has helped transform the tiny emirate into one of the world&#39;s richest countries, fuelling its rise into a major regional player and helping fund huge infrastructure projects such as the 2022 football World Cup, which Qatar will host.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Sunday said he was confident the crisis posed no threat to the 2022 World Cup.

Qatar&#39;s rivals have also accused Doha of being too close to the Sunni Arab Gulf states&#39; arch-rival Shiite-dominated Iran -- claims that Doha has also denied.

Iranian officials said Sunday that tonnes of vegetables had been sent from Iran to Qatar since the measures were taken against it.

Iran Air spokesman Shahrokh Noushabadi said five aircraft carrying around 90 tonnes of vegetables each had been sent to Qatar in recent days.

&quot;We will continue deliveries as long as there is demand,&quot; Noushabadi added, without saying if these were commercial exports or aid.

Three ships loaded with 350 tonnes of fruit and vegetables were also set to leave Iran for Qatar, the Tasnim news agency reported.

Mixed US signals

Moscow on Saturday joined other nations in calling for dialogue, after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Saudi Arabia and its allies to ease their &quot;blockade&quot; of Qatar.

Washington has sent mixed signals on the crisis, despite Qatar&#39;s position as a key ally and host to the region&#39;s largest US airbase.

While Tillerson and others have called for an easing of tensions, Trump on Friday said Qatar had &quot;historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level&quot;.

Kuwait, which has not joined its neighbours against Qatar, has led mediation efforts and on Sunday Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled Al-Sabah said that would continue.

The African Union chairman, Guinean President Alpha Conde whose country has close ties with Saudi Arabia, has also offered himself as a mediator.

This will come as a relief to the more than 11,000 people from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain living in Qatar

Qatar moved Sunday to avoid an escalation of its feud with Gulf neighbours by telling their citizens they are welcome to stay, while boasting of "business as usual" for vital gas exports. Iran also announced it had sent tonnes of vegetables to Qatar, which has seen food imports threatened after its neighbours cut air, sea and land links with the country. Nearly a week after Saudi Arabia and several of its allies severed ties with Qatar in an unprecedented Gulf diplomatic crisis, there were no signs of the bitter dispute being resolved. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and others accused Qatar of supporting extremist groups, an assertion since backed by US President Donald Trump. Qatar strongly rejects the allegations and says it is open to talks on ending the dispute, which also saw the three Gulf states order all Qataris out of their countries within 14 days. Mutlaq Al-Qahtani, a special adviser to Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, told AFP the decision to sever ties would not prove successful. "I think this is not about counter-terrorism, it's not about terror financing," he said. "I think it is about an orchestrated campaign against my country to pressure my country to change its active, independent foreign policy. "This policy of domination and control is not going to work." "When it comes to terrorism, Qatar has never supported terrorism, Qatar does not support terrorism, Qatar will not support terrorism," Qahtani said. The crisis has raised major concerns of instability in the region, and on Sunday Kuwait's foreign minister said his country would continue its mediation efforts. State media reported late Saturday Doha would "not take any measures against residents of Qatar who hold the nationalities of countries that severed diplomatic ties... on the back of hostile and tendentious campaigns against the country". No gas interruption This will come as a relief to the more than 11,000 people from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain living in Qatar. Concerns have been raised for the impact of these measures on people in all the countries affected. "For potentially thousands of people across the Gulf, the effect of the steps imposed in the wake of this political dispute is suffering, heartbreak and fear," Amnesty International has said. Saudi Arabia said Sunday it was ordering "suitable measures" to help families with mixed citizenships, but provided few details. Despite the unprecedented sanctions, Qatar says that its crucial exports of liquified natural gas have not been interrupted. "Qatar Petroleum... is conducting business as usual throughout all its upstream, midstream and downstream businesses and operations, and in all activities across all of QP's world-class facilities," a statement read. Gas has helped transform the tiny emirate into one of the world's richest countries, fuelling its rise into a major regional player and helping fund huge infrastructure projects such as the 2022 football World Cup, which Qatar will host. FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Sunday said he was confident the crisis posed no threat to the 2022 World Cup. Qatar's rivals have also accused Doha of being too close to the Sunni Arab Gulf states' arch-rival Shiite-dominated Iran -- claims that Doha has also denied. Iranian officials said Sunday that tonnes of vegetables had been sent from Iran to Qatar since the measures were taken against it. Iran Air spokesman Shahrokh Noushabadi said five aircraft carrying around 90 tonnes of vegetables each had been sent to Qatar in recent days. "We will continue deliveries as long as there is demand," Noushabadi added, without saying if these were commercial exports or aid. Three ships loaded with 350 tonnes of fruit and vegetables were also set to leave Iran for Qatar, the Tasnim news agency reported. Mixed US signals Moscow on Saturday joined other nations in calling for dialogue, after US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged Saudi Arabia and its allies to ease their "blockade" of Qatar. Washington has sent mixed signals on the crisis, despite Qatar's position as a key ally and host to the region's largest US airbase. While Tillerson and others have called for an easing of tensions, Trump on Friday said Qatar had "historically been a funder of terrorism at a very high level". Kuwait, which has not joined its neighbours against Qatar, has led mediation efforts and on Sunday Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah al-Khaled Al-Sabah said that would continue. The African Union chairman, Guinean President Alpha Conde whose country has close ties with Saudi Arabia, has also offered himself as a mediator.

Gulf citizens can stay despite crisis: Qatar

A Dutch woman who was arrested in March after she told police she had been drugged and raped was convicted of having sex out of wedlock by a Qatari court today given a one-year suspended sentence, state-owned Al Jazeera reported. 
 
The woman, 22, will be deported to the Netherlands in the coming days once the ruling is formalised, the Dutch ambassador to Qatar Yvette Burghgraef-van Eechoud told the network. 
 
The man she said raped her, a Syrian identified in court as Omar Abdullah Al-Hasan, pleaded guilty to charges of illicit consensual sex and being drunk in a public and was sentenced to 140 lashes, Al Jazeera quoted a court official as saying. 
 
Islamic-based legal codes govern Qatar, which will host the World Cup in 2022 and faces questions on how it will cope with the influx of many fans who drink alcohol at soccer tournaments and may expect lenient Western-style rules. 
 
The Dutch woman says she was drugged at a nightclub in a central Doha hotel and realised she had been raped when she woke up in an unfamiliar apartment. 
 
&quot;Her next memory was waking up in an unfamiliar apartment where she realised to her great horror that she had been raped,&quot; her lawyer, Brian Lokollo, told Dutch radio NOS-Radio 1. 
 
She had been on vacation at the time, and reported the incident to Qatari police. She was arrested on March 14, and had been held since then on unclear charges. 
 
Hasan has acknowledged having sex with the woman, but said it had been consensual, according to Dutch media reports. 
 
Since the case emerged this week, hundreds of sympathisers on Twitter have called for her release and criticised the Qatari reaction to her allegations. 
 
It is an offence to drink alcohol or be drunk in public in Qatar, although alcohol is allowed at certain hotels and non-Muslim immigrants can obtain a permit for purchasing alcohol.

The man suspected of raping her, pleaded guilty to charges of illicit consensual sex and drinking in public. He was sentenced to 140 lashes

A Dutch woman who was arrested in March after she told police she had been drugged and raped was convicted of having sex out of wedlock by a Qatari court today given a one-year suspended sentence, state-owned Al Jazeera reported. The woman, 22, will be deported to the Netherlands in the coming days once the ruling is formalised, the Dutch ambassador to Qatar Yvette Burghgraef-van Eechoud told the network. The man she said raped her, a Syrian identified in court as Omar Abdullah Al-Hasan, pleaded guilty to charges of illicit consensual sex and being drunk in a public and was sentenced to 140 lashes, Al Jazeera quoted a court official as saying. Islamic-based legal codes govern Qatar, which will host the World Cup in 2022 and faces questions on how it will cope with the influx of many fans who drink alcohol at soccer tournaments and may expect lenient Western-style rules. The Dutch woman says she was drugged at a nightclub in a central Doha hotel and realised she had been raped when she woke up in an unfamiliar apartment. "Her next memory was waking up in an unfamiliar apartment where she realised to her great horror that she had been raped," her lawyer, Brian Lokollo, told Dutch radio NOS-Radio 1. She had been on vacation at the time, and reported the incident to Qatari police. She was arrested on March 14, and had been held since then on unclear charges. Hasan has acknowledged having sex with the woman, but said it had been consensual, according to Dutch media reports. Since the case emerged this week, hundreds of sympathisers on Twitter have called for her release and criticised the Qatari reaction to her allegations. It is an offence to drink alcohol or be drunk in public in Qatar, although alcohol is allowed at certain hotels and non-Muslim immigrants can obtain a permit for purchasing alcohol.

Qatar to deport raped Dutch woman on charges of "illicit sex"

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