JEDDAHÂ 5 August 2017: The information ministers of the United Arab Emirates, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Bahrain and Arab Republic of Egypt have affirmed the importance of confronting Qatar’s media campaigns to promote hate rhetoric, reiterating the necessity of continuing joint media coordination to face up to extremism in all its forms.
They have also expressed categorical rejection of calls for politicising Haj and using the sacred religious ritual for malicious political agendas, Wam reported.
This came in a statement issued following a meeting held by the four ministers in Jeddah earlier today where the quartets have commended the great role played by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia across history in service of pilgrims and in streamlining Hajj rituals for all Muslims bar none.
Following is the ministerial statement: “The information ministers of the four counter-terrorism countries convened in Jeddah today. The meeting focused on the importance of continuing joint coordination across different media outlets in face of terrorism and extremism in all their forms. The meeting address the necessity of standing up to Qatar’s media campaigns that promote hate speech. In the meantime, the four minsters have affirmed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been across history assuming a great role in serving pilgrims and ensuring their care and comfort, exerting all possible efforts to streamline rituals of Hajj and Omrah for all Muslims. The four ministers reiterate categorical rejection of all calls for politicising Hajj and using the sacred religious ritual for serving malicious political agendas. The meeting considered a set of proposals for consolidating joint Arab action in alignment with international counter-terrorism efforts to combat the hate rhetoric adopted by the Government of Qatar.”
By Rajive Singh