The French Foreign Minister has urged Qatar and its Arab neighbours to find an end to their diplomatic standoff and to immediately lift measures that have hit thousands of people in the Gulf.

Qatar. Jean-Yves Le Drian encourage les pays du Golfe à cesser le blocage https://t.co/EFWkL45vXopic.twitter.com/5iYxFL4AKq — Ouest-France (@OuestFrance) July 15, 2017

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, cut ties with the small Gulf nation in early June.

The Arab quartet have expelled Qatari nationals and imposed a blockade, impacting mixed-nationality families in the Gulf, students and people seeking medical treatment abroad.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian shared a platform with his Qatari counterpart:

“France is calling for these measures to be lifted, especially the ones that affect the population (the Qatari population), specifically the measures that affect bi-national families.”

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani thanked the minister:“We welcome the French republic’s position to support the Kuwaiti mediation to reach a solution through negotiation built on mutual respect and the respect of sovereignty, in accordance to international laws.”

The Arab quartet have expelled Qatari nationals and imposed a blockade, impacting mixed-nationality families in the Gulf, students and people seeking medical treatment abroad.

The four states accuse Qatar of disrupting regional security by supporting Islamist opposition groups and extremists. Qatar denies the allegations.