German President waited half an hour on the gangway in Qatar to be met

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier waited for about half an hour on the plane's ramp to be officially met.

This was reported by Bild.

The plane with Steinmeier landed at Doha Airport on Wednesday at 10:10 a.m. local time. The German president was to be met by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Al Thani.

It was with him that Steinmeier was scheduled to hold talks on the release of hostages captured by Hamas militants during the attack on Israel.

However, according to the tabloid, the emir was not ready to receive Steinmeier upon landing.

Steinmeier's wife Elke Büdenbender and part of his delegation descended from the plane, while the German president himself remained standing upstairs.

In response to a call, the head of the protocol service said that "the president was supposed to drink tea at the airport to kill time," but Steinmeier preferred to wait at the top of the stairs.

The article notes that Steinmeier waited for about half an hour in 30-degree heat before he was met by Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan Al-Muraikhi.

The talks between the German president and the Qatari emir lasted about an hour and a half, but afterward, Al Thani declined to hold a joint press conference or statement.

"I hope that we will get good news in the next few days," Steinmeier said after the meeting.

He expressed "special gratitude to the emir for Qatar's use of its influence on Hamas."

Author - Olena Madiak, 30/11/2023