Stop provocative and hostile behaviour, Al Ruwaie tells Qatar

TDT |Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s yesterday strongly refuted Qatari claims of airspace violations as “baseless” before a UN body. The allegations that four Bahraini fighter jets violated Qatari airspace, Bahrain UN envoy said, are “baseless, unfortunate and unrelated to facts.”

Bahrain explained its position in a letter sent to Jerry Matthews Matjila, Security Council President for the month, and South Africa’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations and the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres.

The statement by Bahrain’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Jamal Faris Al Ruwaie affirmed that the allegations are part of “continuous and escalating distortion” practised by Qatar to increase regional tensions.

Al Ruwaie added that such practices lack credibility and are contradictory and inconsistent with the principle of good neighbourliness.

Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that on December 9, 2020, four F-16s, two each from The Royal Bahraini Air Force and the US Air Force, took part in a joint military drill in a designated military area in the airspace of Saudi Arabia.

The exercise ended at 3:50 pm (Bahrain time), following which the aircraft flew back to Isa Air Base via Saudi - the exit route towards Bahrain. Moving on, Bahrain’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York Jamal Faris Al Ruwaie also asked Qatar to end its provocative and hostile behaviour, sponsorship of terrorism, and interference in the internal affairs of neighbouring countries “all of which constitute a threat to international peace and security.”

Bahrain’s letter also appealed to the United Nations to take necessary measures to end Qatar’s hostile practices and urge it to respect the UN Charter. Bahrain stressed that despite Qatar’s false allegations and accusations, the Kingdom, based on its deep commitment to the UN Charter, will continue to strive for peaceful solutions.