بازدید 6713
Longer-Term Isolation For Qatar Possible If 13 Demands Not Met
Qatar faces the prospect of diplomatic isolation in the long-term if it does not accept the demands made by its Gulf neighbours to end an ongoing dispute, a United Arab Emirates minister warned on Saturday.
Qatar faces the prospect of diplomatic isolation in the long-term if it does not accept the demands made by its Gulf neighbours to end an ongoing dispute, a United Arab Emirates minister warned on Saturday.
"We decided that in the case of no progress, Qatar will be isolated from its neighbours," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash added.
His warning comes hours after Qatar disclosed the 13 demands, presented by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt through Kuwait that is acting as a mediator to defuse the crisis.
The demands include downgrading ties with Iran, a regional rival of Saudi Arabia; stopping support for Islamist groups; closing a Turkish military base in Qatar; and shutting down the Doha-based television broadcaster Al Jazeera and its channels.
The four countries have given Qatar 10 days to accept the demands that Doha said it was reviewing.
Kuwait handed the list of collective demands to Doha on Thursday, according to the official Qatari news agency QNA.
Gargash criticized Qatar over disclosing the demands, saying the move has dealt a "blow" to mediation efforts.
However, he ruled out further escalation in the crisis should Qatar fail to comply with the demands.
"If Qatar does not respond to the demands, the alternative is not escalation, but parting," Gargash said at a televised press conference in Dubai.
He insisted that his country and its allies are not looking for a "regime change in Qatar, but a change in behaviour."
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a US-allied body that also comprises Kuwait and Oman.
"We hope that Qatar will realize the consequences of its policy against the neighbouring countries and that wisdom will prevail in Doha," Gargash said.
On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties and transportation links with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism, a charge that Doha denied.
Later in June, several African countries cut relations with Qatar and others downgraded ties.
"We decided that in the case of no progress, Qatar will be isolated from its neighbours," UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash added.
His warning comes hours after Qatar disclosed the 13 demands, presented by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt through Kuwait that is acting as a mediator to defuse the crisis.
The demands include downgrading ties with Iran, a regional rival of Saudi Arabia; stopping support for Islamist groups; closing a Turkish military base in Qatar; and shutting down the Doha-based television broadcaster Al Jazeera and its channels.
The four countries have given Qatar 10 days to accept the demands that Doha said it was reviewing.
Kuwait handed the list of collective demands to Doha on Thursday, according to the official Qatari news agency QNA.
Gargash criticized Qatar over disclosing the demands, saying the move has dealt a "blow" to mediation efforts.
However, he ruled out further escalation in the crisis should Qatar fail to comply with the demands.
"If Qatar does not respond to the demands, the alternative is not escalation, but parting," Gargash said at a televised press conference in Dubai.
He insisted that his country and its allies are not looking for a "regime change in Qatar, but a change in behaviour."
Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, a US-allied body that also comprises Kuwait and Oman.
"We hope that Qatar will realize the consequences of its policy against the neighbouring countries and that wisdom will prevail in Doha," Gargash said.
On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties and transportation links with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism, a charge that Doha denied.
Later in June, several African countries cut relations with Qatar and others downgraded ties.
