DOHA: The subtle sense of humour for which the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, H E Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem bin Jabor Al Thani, is known, was in witness briefly at the news briefing when he replied to a question if criticisms of Qatar by sections of the Egyptian media would affect Doha’s support for Cairo.
Taking a dig at the Qatar-bashing media in Cairo, he said in a lighter vein that sections of the Egyptian media had reported that Dr Hisham Qandil was carrying a file of documents to close some sale deals with Qatar.
Journalists at the briefing that included many Egyptian TV and electronic media persons, burst into laughter when the Premier said: “When I met Dr Qandil I asked him where that file was”.
He then said in a serious tone: “We respect the serious media. But some, unfortunately, are painting our support (for their country) in a negative way. “But our position in this regard is clear. We will continue to back Egypt and stand beside our brethren,” he said emphatically. Answering the question but avoiding to name fellow Egyptian and TV host and satirist Bassem Youssef (who criticised Qatar in his last Friday’s show), Qandil said an individual’s stand wouldn’t in anyway affect warm government-to-government and people-to-people contacts between Egypt and Qatar.
