Germany said Friday it regretted any offence caused to Qatar after a
cabinet minister linked the Arab state to financing of jihadist
militants in Syria and Iraq.
“We regret if there have been any misunderstandings” a foreign ministry spokesman said after the comments by Development Aid Minister Gerd Mueller to a German public broadcaster.
On the funding allegations, he said: “I am not aware of such information.”
Mueller, speaking to ZDF about the financing of militant group Islamic State (IS), said: “A story like this always has a history ... Who is financing these troops? Hint: Qatar.”
Doha denies supporting the hardline ISIS insurgents who have overrun large parts of Syria and Iraq and who this week sparked global outrage with the release of a video showing the beheading of US journalist James Foley.
“We told the government of Qatar that, for the federal government, Qatar is a partner with whom we work in a variety of ways, even if there are some questions where we don’t always have the same opinion,” he said at a press conference.
He stressed that Germany has “good and friendly relations” with Qatar, which he termed a “major regional player”.
“We regret if there have been any misunderstandings” a foreign ministry spokesman said after the comments by Development Aid Minister Gerd Mueller to a German public broadcaster.
On the funding allegations, he said: “I am not aware of such information.”
Mueller, speaking to ZDF about the financing of militant group Islamic State (IS), said: “A story like this always has a history ... Who is financing these troops? Hint: Qatar.”
Doha denies supporting the hardline ISIS insurgents who have overrun large parts of Syria and Iraq and who this week sparked global outrage with the release of a video showing the beheading of US journalist James Foley.
- A spokeswoman for Mueller’s ministry said he had merely “referenced press reports” and had made “no concrete allegations”.
“We told the government of Qatar that, for the federal government, Qatar is a partner with whom we work in a variety of ways, even if there are some questions where we don’t always have the same opinion,” he said at a press conference.
He stressed that Germany has “good and friendly relations” with Qatar, which he termed a “major regional player”.
Last Update: Friday, 22 August 2014 KSA 18:18 - GMT 15:18
http://english.alarabiya.net/en/News/middle-east/2014/08/22/Germany-regrets-minister-s-claim-on-Qatar-ISIS-funding-.html
22/8/14
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