Bahrain Mirror: A video clip of an old interview with Bahraini Foreign Minister Khalid bin Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa reveals him describing Qatar's role as positive in the 2011 events.

The FM's comments were made in an interview with Al-Arabiya TV (November 27, 2011), when commenting on the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry (Bassiouni) report, which was completed and handed over to the country's king.

Regarding what was written in the BICI report on Qatar's role, the minister said, "Qatar has only played a positive role in this matter [...] My brother the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Hamad bin Jassim had a role since the beginning, along with his brothers the foreign ministers of the GCC countries, in supporting Bahrain".

"He played a pivotal role in taking the economic support to be provided to Bahrain and Oman forward and in accordance with a well thought out plan. We shall never forget this role," he stressed.

He further stated that "Qatar also played a clear role lately when it uncovered a cell in Qatar that was conspiring and communicating with persons in Iran to carry out terrorist operations in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Qatar has done none other than this role in this field."

Yesterday, Bahrain state TV broadcasted selected segments of phone call conversations between Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim and opposition leader Sheikh Ali Salman, claiming this proves Qatar's complicity with the opposition to further the unrest in the country.

Arabic Version