Four Arab
states boycotting Qatar over alleged support for terrorism on Friday sent Doha
a list of 13 demands including closing Al Jazeera television and reducing ties
to
their regional adversary Iran.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE),
Egypt and Bahrain, on June 5, cut economic, diplomatic and travel ties to Doha.
An official of the four Arab countries, who spoke on condition of anonymity,
said that they gave Doha 10 days to comply, failing which the list becomes
“void”.
The official who did not elaborate further, suggested that the offer to
end the dispute in return for the 13 steps would no longer be on the table. The
official said that the list which was compiled by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain, also demands the closing of a Turkish
military base in Qatar.
The demands aimed at ending the worst Gulf Arab crisis
in years appear designed to quash a two decade-old foreign policy in which
Qatar has punched well above its weight, striding the stage as a peace broker,
often in conflicts in Muslim lands.
Doha’s independent-minded approach,
including a dovish line on Iran and support for Islamist groups, in particular
the Muslim Brotherhood, has incensed some of its neighbours who see political
Islamism as a threat to their dynastic rule.
The demands, the official said,
was handed to Qatar by mediator Kuwait.
The official added that the demands
also require that Qatar stop interfering in the four countries’ domestic and
foreign affairs and stop a practice of giving Qatari nationality to citizens of
the four countries, He said that Qatar must pay reparations to these countries
for any damage or costs incurred over the past few years because of Qatari
policies.
Any resulting agreement to comply with the demands will be monitored,
with monthly reports in the first year, then every three months the next year,
then annually for 10 years, the official said without elaborating. Turkey’s
Defence Minister Fikri Isik rejected the demand, saying any call for the base
to be shut would represent interference in Ankara’s relations with Doha. He
suggested instead that Turkey might bolster its presence.
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