Malaysia does not rule out the possibility to help solve the Qatar crisis involving several Gulf countries, if required, said Special Functions Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.

However, at present, Hishammuddin, who is also Defence Minister, said the opportunity should be given first to Kuwait as an intermediary in addressing the crisis.

He said this was also the stand of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), comprising of 57 Muslim countries.

“We closely monitor and, if necessary, our existing ties with the Gulf nations concerned can help and place Malaysia in a position that is not only strategic but can play a more in-depth role (in helping to address the crisis), he told the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

He was replying to a supplementary question from Noor Ehsanuddin Mohd Harun Narrashid (BN-Kota Tinggi), who wanted to know if Malaysia was ready if asked to become an intermediary.

The crisis started when Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia-led Bahrain cut off the sea, land and air links with Qatar last month, in which the countries concerned claimed Qatar supported terrorism, interfered with internal affairs of other countries and sought to seek establish good relations with Iran, which is the foe of Saudi Arabia.

Qatar denied the allegations and rejected the list of 13 claims presented by the Arab block as conditions to resume diplomatic relations.

However, Hishammuddin stressed Malaysia must have the exact facts if it intended to play a role to help because the crisis did not occur overnight but spanned decades.

On a supplementary question by Bung Moktar Radin (BN-Kinabatangan) on the role of OIC in the crisis and whether Malaysia would raise it in the OIC meeting, Hishammuddin said at present Kuwait was more appropriate to raise the matter at the OIC meeting.

He said the OIC countries at the 44th session of the OIC Foreign Ministers Council in Azerbaijan recently, however, said the session was not the best platform to discuss the matter and viewed it as more of an internal issue.

Hishammuddin said Malaysians did not have to worry because the crisis did not affect Malaysia’s policies and ties with the countries involved in terms of politics or economy.

“Malaysia will continue to enhance cooperation with the government of the Gulf countries besides hoping the conflict will be resolved well,” he added.

- Bernama