*RIYADH – Saudi Arabia has threatened military action against Qatar if itgoes ahead and acquires Russia’s top of the range S-400 air defence missilesystem, Le Monde daily reported.*
Citing information it had obtained, Le Monde said Friday that Riyadh hadwritten to French President Emmanuel Macron asking him to intervene toprevent the deal going ahead and to help preserve regional stability.
There was no immediate official reaction from the president’s office or theFrench foreign ministry to the report.
Saudi Arabia, backed by other regional powers including Bahrain and theUnite Arab Emirates, broke off relations with Qatar in June last year,accusing the Gulf state of supporting radical Islamist groups and of beingtoo close to Iran — Riyadh’s arch rival in the region.
They subsequently imposed economic sanctions on Qatar which hasconsistently rejected the charges against it.
In an effort to ease its isolation, Qatar has sought new friends, includingRussia.
In January, it announced that talks with Moscow on supplying thesophisticated S-400 system were at an “advanced stage”.
Le Monde said that in the letter sent to the French president, Saudi KingSalman had expressed his “deep concern” with the discussions between Dohaand Moscow and warned about the risk of escalation.
Saudi Arabia “would be ready to take all necessary measures to eliminatethis defence system, including military action,” the newspaper wrote. -APP/ AFP