Doha forum calls on major powers to end Gulf rift

DOHA, April 2 (Xinhua) -- The sixth Doha forum for Policies and Strategies called on major powers to take steps to end the Gulf crisis targeting Qatar, state-run Qatari news agency (QNA) reported Monday.

The call came in a final statement released Sunday by the two-day forum, which brought many experts, thinkers and decision-makers from major countries.

The forum stressed the need to pay attention to the changes and challenges in the political and economic relations between Gulf states as well as their effects on the regional and international alliances in the Middle East.

The statement also called on the Gulf elite to prevent the negative impact of the crisis on popular mentality.

It also asked military institutions to respond to the new challenges of regular armies, develop new technologies and establish specialized departments.

Last June, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic, trade and transport links to Qatar, accusing the gas-rich Gulf state of supporting terrorism and establishing close ties with Iran against Arab interests, which Doha has repeatedly denied.

The Doha forum was organized by the Center for Strategic Studies at the Ministry of Defense in cooperation with the Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies. Enditem