Turkey backs dialogue to defuse Qatar wrangle

Turkey’s president -- currently in the Gulf on a series of official visits -- has reiterated his support for Kuwaiti mediation of the ongoing Qatar crisis, an aide to Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Monday.

Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said Turkey and the Gulf states had also agreed to enhance dialogue to defuse the diplomatic wrangle with Qatar.

During his two-day Gulf trip, Erdogan “reiterated support for Kuwaiti mediation and other attempts to overcome the crisis,” Kalin said, adding “negotiations and dialogue” were the focus.

President Erdogan’s official visit to Gulf states started on Sunday.

Aside from bilateral relations, recent developments in Syria and Iraq, plus the fight against terrorism, were also on the talks table, Kalin said.

Erdogan held discussions with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as part of his efforts to solve the Gulf crisis, triggered by the breaking off of relations between Qatar and four Arab states, which accuse Doha of supporting terrorism.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the U.A.E. and Bahrain have imposed a land, sea and air blockade on Qatar and presented a list of demands to Doha to end the siege.

Qatar denies the accusation and insists the blockade is a violation of international law.