Diplomats believe cutting ties with Qatar imposes economic embargo

Experts and diplomats confirmed that, cutting ties between Qatar, Egypt, and three other Gulf countries will impose an economic embargo on Doha during the upcoming period which will cause Doha severe losses.Former Egyptian ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Said Abu Zaid said that, after imposing air embargo on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, Qatar’s only access to Europe will be through Iran and Turkey, which will increase operating costs and flight time, and causes severe damages to the Qatari economy. Qatari ships won’t be able to go through the Egyptian Regional Water, which will force Qatar to use alternative and expensive ways, mainly through Iran.Abu Zaid said imposing such air and naval embargo on Qatar will prevent the Qatari airplanes from entering the Egyptian airspace or land in airports, which will force them to change directions. This embargo will cost Qatar millions of dollars and makes passengers leave Qatar Airlines and use foreign airlines. Former Assistant Secretary of State, Ambassador Rakha Hassan declared that, cutting trade operations with Qatar will prevent it from importing goods from Egypt due to difficulties in transportation. According to Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations in its second article which controls the rules of diplomatic and consular missions between and among States, cutting international ties doesn’t mean an upcoming war with the isolated country, or stopping the consular works in this country, and the country which chose to cut all ties must be bound by article 45 of the Vienna Convention which states that, in case of cutting diplomatic ties between two countries, or if a mission is called upon, the country with the decision even in an armed conflict, must respect and protect the premises of the mission, as well as their movables and archives, and the affected country may entrust the safeguarding of the premises of its mission and movable property and archives to a third State approved by the first country, as well as its interests and its citizens’ interests.Cutting all diplomatic ties is an indicator of how bad the relations between two countries are, and according to article 9 of the Vienna Convention, diplomats are not welcomed and must leave the country according to articles 39 and 44 of the convention. These developments come amid rising tension between the Gulf States following the broadcast of statements attributed to Prince of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani last month, saying it is not wise to antagonize Iran and refused to escalate the dispute with it.