Dubai: Qatar is an extended crisis in the Middle East as the Qatari regime has pursued policies which target the unity of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Arab world, the head of a Bahraini think tank has said.

“Doha has developed itself as one of the tools of chaos and division in the region and has mobilised its financial, information and other resources for these purposes,” Shaikh Abdullah Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa, the Chairman of Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat) said on Monday as he delivered a speech at the opening of the “Qatar: Patron of Anarchy and Crises in the Middle East” forum.

“The threat by Qatar to Arab national security in general, and to the security of the Gulf in particular, does not stem from its own power, but rather because it is a compromised and weak state attempting to inflict the greatest damage and losses within the confines of the role assigned to it.”

The first session of the one-day forum organised by Derasat was dedicated to “Qatari threats to the Kingdom of Bahrain: Past and Present” while the second session discussed examples of Qatari involvement in destablisation and the call for the overthrow of national institutions in Arab countries.

The third session was about “Gulf Security and Future Scenarios of Qatari Hostile Policy.”

“We must prevent the region from sliding into darkness and intolerance and stop Qatar’s attempts to undermine stability and to serve regional hegemony, as demonstrated by the disastrous outcomes and humanitarian tragedies caused by Doha’s interference in the internal affairs of Arab countries,” Shaikh Abdullah said.

“Think tanks with an interest in security and strategic studies have a significant role to play in promoting moderation and contributing to stability and balance. This forum is a platform for strategic options, creative initiatives and constructive contributions that reinforce protection from crises and develop collective security.”

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed ties with Qatar on June 5 accusing it of fomenting sectarianism and supporting terrorism the region.

Several attempts at reconciliation have been thwarted by Doha’s refusal to meet 13 demands listed by the Arab quartet.