German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s visit to Qatar on Wednesday was marked by an unusual diplomatic hiccup.
When he was left waiting for about 30 minutes upon his arrival in Doha, according to a report. A video of the German President standing at the gate of his plane with folded hands has gone viral on social media.
A report by German news broadcaster DW said the delay was due to the absence of Qatari officials at the airport to greet him.
The incident occurred despite the presence of Germany’s ambassador to Qatar and a military honour guard. It wasn’t until Sultan al-Muraichai, Qatar’s minister of state for foreign affairs, arrived that the formalities could proceed, as reported by DW.
Despite the holdup, German President Steinmeier managed to leave the airport on time for his meeting with Qatar’s ruler, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.
During his brief three-hour stay in Qatar, Steinmeier focused on discussions regarding the release of German hostages held by Hamas, the DW reported.
“I am sure Qatar will do everything in its power to contribute to the release of the German hostages,” he told reporters in Doha after his meeting with Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as quoted by DW.
Steinmeier added that it is important to understand that in a “difficult negotiation situation, there can be no guarantees”.
Qatar has been instrumental in mediating between Israel and Hamas, leveraging its regional influence to broker a truce and facilitate a hostage-prisoner exchange. The German president’s visit to Qatar is part of a broader trip to the region, which included stops in Israel and Oman.