The Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, called for the need to combat the discourse of terrorism, extremism and violence, and to stand firmly before all its forms.

In a press conference after his talks with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, in the Qatari capital, Doha, the Qatari foreign minister said that the talks also covered developments in the region, including the Gulf crisis and the file of Lebanon and Libya.

He added, "We stressed the issue of combating terrorism and the need to avoid the superficial view of the phenomenon," calling for "standing firmly against all forms of racist discourse, and the need to address the causes of extremism and terrorism."

For his part, Le Drian said that what he called "the smear campaign that France was subjected to, and the interpretation of the statements of French officials in order to distort its positions, will neither discourage nor reduce its efforts to combat extremism and terrorism that strikes everywhere in the world."

He added that France "was a victim of a heinous terrorist attack recently, and Qatar expressed its solidarity with the French people and we thank them for their position."

He continued, "I mentioned that our positions and statements were distorted and exploited in the context of the campaign to smear France, and I mentioned here also that these statements may have been misunderstood by some believers with sincere intention and those who were shocked by their beliefs."

Le Drian said, "We have a deep respect for Islam, and Muslims are an integral part of French society and the history of this country. They live under the protection of the law. Our battle is against terrorism and extremism that strikes everywhere."

Strategic dialogue

On the other hand, the government of the State of Qatar and the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism discussed - in their third strategic dialogue - an assessment of the status of programs, projects and activities funded by the State of Qatar in the field of combating terrorism.

The two sides affirmed - in a joint statement - their strong partnership in combating terrorism, and exchanged views on the strategic priorities for the next year.

They also expressed their commitment to continue cooperation in implementing major programs, including preventing terrorist travel, supporting victims of terrorism, securing sports and promoting its values ​​as a tool to prevent extremism and violence.