Qatar announced on Thursday a deal to buy 12 French-built
Rafale fighter jets, as it faces a boycott by neighbouring Gulf states
in the region's worst political crisis in years.
The
1.1-billion-euro ($1.3-billion) order, announced during an official
visit by French President Emmanuel Macron, allows for an option to buy a
further 36 jets.
It comes on top of a 2015 agreement on
the purchase of 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale warplanes.
Also on Thursday, Qatar Airways announced a 5.5-billion-euro ($6.4b)
deal to buy 50 Airbus A321 passenger planes, with an option for 36 more.
The
two countries also signed a three-billion-euro ($3.5b) deal on the
operation and maintenance of the Doha Metro, currently being built as
the country prepares for the football World Cup in 2022.
The contracts were inked in the presence of Macron and
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani.
Qatar also signed a letter of intent to buy 490 VBCI armoured vehicles
from Nexter, a French government-owned weapons manufacturer, in a
potential deal worth 1.5-billion-euros ($1.7bn), the Elysee said.
The
military contracts come at a time of heightened tensions in the Gulf,
where a Saudi-led boycott of Qatar is in its sixth month. Since June 5,
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have
diplomatically isolated Qatar, accusing the emirate of supporting
extremists and of being too close to Iran, Riyadh's arch-rival. The four
countries also cut off all air and sea links to Qatar and closed the
only land terminal for the tiny peninsula. Qatar denies the allegations
and has accused the Saudi-led bloc of aiming to incite regime change in
Doha.
Speaking about the crisis at a later joint press
conference with Macron, Sheikh Tamim reiterated Qatar's calls for a
negotiated settlement. “Qatar's sovereignty is above all considerations.
We want to resolve the rift but not at the expense of our sovereignty
and dignity,” he said.
“If the brothers want to resolve the dispute, we are ready,” he said.
“Any
solution should be founded on a clear basis acceptable by all and the
non-interference in the sovereignty of others,” he added.
The
French president urged a diplomatic solution through regional mediator
Kuwait. “I reiterated to the emir France's support for Kuwait's
mediation efforts and my wish for a quick solution,” Macron told
reporters.
The prospects, however, remain increasingly
remote. A Gulf Cooperation Council summit in Kuwait this week ended a
day early after the leaders of Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain failed
to attend.
Thursday's defence deals are the latest in a
growing list signed by Qatar since the crisis erupted. It has also
struck deals with the US, Italy and Britain.
