KUWAIT CITY (Dispatches) – Qatar says it is establishing a committee to pursue compensation claims arising from an unprecedented blockade imposed against the Persian Gulf country by four Arab countries, dubbed as the siege states, led by Saudi Arabia.
Qatar's Attorney General Ali bin Fetais al-Marri announced the news during a press conference in capital Doha on Sunday, adding that the Compensation Claims Committee would be overseen by himself and senior officials from the ministries of foreign affairs and justice.
"This committee will receive all claims, whether from the public sector, private sector or individuals," he told journalists.
Marri added that potential plaintiffs such as Qatar Airways, banks or individuals, including Qatari students, who have been expelled from the countries where they were studying, would be able to file claims over the "siege” in Qatari courts or those abroad, including in Paris and London.

Military Escalation Ruled Out

Meanwhile, British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has called on Saudi Arabia and its Persian Gulf allies to end their blockade and siege of Qatar as he continued his tour of the Persian Gulf.
"What people need to see is de-escalation and progress towards tackling the funding of terrorism in the region, and progress toward an end to this blockade," Johnson said in Kuwait City before heading to Qatar.
He further expressed UK’s support for Kuwait’s efforts to broker a solution to the row which is said to be the worst to hit the region since the formation of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in 1981.
The top British diplomat further described the siege on Qatar as unwelcome but played down the possibility of a military escalation as "highly unlikely”.
"Everybody I have talked to said the opposite. No possibility of a military confrontation," he said.
During his visit to Kuwait, Johnson sat down with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah whose country has played a mediating role in the crisis.
Johnson earlier held meetings with officials from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates which have the most uncompromising stance in the dispute. 
In Doha, Johnson met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and discussed the crisis as well as ways to enhance counter-terrorism cooperation, according to Qatar's state news agency.
Last month, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a trade and diplomatic embargo on Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara expected a peaceful solution to the Persian Gulf dispute.
"Turkey has brotherly relations with all (Persian) Gulf countries and has used all diplomatic tools to resolve the Qatar crisis,” Erdogan said during a press conference in Hamburg where he was to attend the G20 summit.
He also emphasized that Turkey did not approve of sanctions against Doha, urging regional countries, particularly Saudi Arabia, to settle the row in a short period of time.
"As I mentioned before, there won't be any winners in the brothers' fight," Erdogan pointed out.