Main opposition CHP urges gov't to remain neutral in ongoing Gulf row

Main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu has urged the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to remain neutral in an ongoing diplomatic crisis of a number of Arab nations' cutting ties with Qatar on June 5.

"Turkey should not take sides between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Our basic policy in the Arab world should be avoiding being a part of the ongoing wars. To take a side means to be a side in the problem. To be neutral will mean becoming a part of the solution," Kılıçdaroğlu said in parliament on June 6.

A group of Arab nations led by Saudi Arabia and Egypt cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing the gas-rich Gulf country of supporting extremism, while a number of regional and global actors, including Turkey and the U.S., called for dialogue to resolve the dispute. 

Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen and the Maldives joined the duo in severing relations with gas-rich Qatar, accusing Doha of harboring "terrorist and sectarian groups that aim to destabilize the region including the Muslim Brotherhood, Daesh [Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant - ISIL] and al-Qaeda."

"Qatar should stop supporting the Muslim Brotherhood," Kılıçdaroğlu said, adding that the AKP government should refrain from "a politics that would support the Muslim Brotherhood on that subject."

"The AKP is supporting the Muslim Brotherhood, the leader of the AKP has been the first [to do that]. It is very dangerous. They should immediately cease their support," he said.

Kılıçdaroğlu criticized President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for frequently making the "Rabia" hand gesture. 

The "Rabia" gesture became popular among sympathizers of the Muslim Brotherhood around the world. It was named after Rabia Square...