Vietnamese in Qatar unaffected by diplomatic crisis: envoy

Amid diplomatic tensions between Qatar and its neighbors, Vietnamese citizens living and working there are somewhat worried but their lives "remain stable," the Vietnamese embassy has said.

Ambassador Nguyen Hoang said the embassy has been active in keeping the community updated and has “urged local people to stay calm and closely watch the developments of the situation.”

According to the embassy, nearly 2,000 Vietnamese people are living and working in Qatar, including 1,800 unskilled workers in construction companies.

The rest works in aviation services, sanitation and beauty care. Meanwhile, nearly 20 families of Vietnamese doctors, engineers working in universities, research institutes as well as oil and gas groups, live in the capital of Doha.

Hoang said he would coordinate with Vietnamese and Qatar agencies to protect Vietnamese citizens and their properties.

A group of Arab powers cut ties with Qatar on Monday, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and Iran, according to media reports.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain first made the move, and then Yemen, Libya's eastern-based government and the Maldives joined later. Transport links have been shut down, triggering supply shortages.

Nguyen Trung Hieu, who works in Qatar and serves as a liaison for the Vietnamese community, told VnExpress that the situation remains stable.

"I have seen no change,” he said. “Last night, when our family went to supermarket, we still found ample supplies. Food prices are stable."

Qatar, a small peninsular nation of 2.5 million people that has a large U.S. military base, has denounced the diplomatic cut-off, saying it is based on lies. It has often been accused of funding Islamists, as has Saudi Arabia.