Four Arab Countries Express Regret Over Qatar’s ‘Negative’ Response

Four Arab countries issued a statement announcing that Qatar’s response to their 13 demands was negative. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister emphasized that practical steps against Qatar will be taken at an appropriate time.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain issued a statement on Wednesday (July 5/Tir 14) announcing that Qatar’s response to their conditions was “negative.”

The statement was released following the expiration of an ultimatum (which had previously been extended for 48 hours) that these countries had given to Qatar. Earlier, Qatari officials had stated that the conditions set by these four Arab countries would amount to a violation of the country’s sovereignty.

According to Arab media reports, Qatar’s response was presented by Mohammad Abdullah al-Saleh, Kuwait’s senior advisor to Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister on Tuesday evening (July 3).

Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, emphasized that Qatar’s negative response would mean the continuation of sanctions against the country.

Al-Jubeir: Iran Supports Terrorism

Egypt and Saudi Arabia expressed hope that Qatar would reconsider its policies. Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister added: “We will take further practical steps at an appropriate time.”

The statement said Qatar’s response indicates that “insufficient understanding” of the current difficult situation in Doha prevails.

Al-Jubeir once again stressed the “demand” for Qatar to cut ties with Iran and called the Islamic Republic “the primary supporter of international terrorism.” Severing Qatar’s ties with Iran is one of the 13 conditions set by Arab countries.

The statement was read following consultations between the foreign ministers of the four Arab countries in Cairo by Sameh Shukri, Egypt’s foreign minister.

On June 5, the four Arab countries imposed economic and trade sanctions against Qatar while announcing the severance of their diplomatic relations with it. Land, sea, and air routes to Qatar were also closed.

The four Arab countries accuse Qatar of supporting terrorism. Qatar denies this accusation. All diplomatic efforts by the United States, Germany, and Turkey have so far been unsuccessful.

Zigmar Gabriel, Germany’s foreign minister, during his recent visit to Persian Gulf region countries, spoke of the difficulty of resolving the dispute in the short term and expressed concern about the continuation of tensions among Arab countries.

Source: DW