WEB DESK
Four Arab states have sent Qatar a list of 13 demands it must meet if it wants them to lift their sanctions. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have asked the Gulf state to shut down its broadcaster, Al Jazeera. They have also asked Qatar to reduce ties with Iran and close a Turkish military base.
These countries have now given Qatar 10 days to comply with all of the demands, which also include paying an unspecified sum in compensation. According to the list, Qatar must refuse to naturalise citizens from the four countries and revoke Qatari citizenship for existing nationals where such citizenship violates those countries’ laws.
The demands, handed to Qatar by mediator Kuwait, tell Qatar to stop interfering in the four nations’ domestic and foreign affairs and refrain from giving Qatari nationality to their citizens, the official from one of the sanctioning states said.
Washington, which is a close military ally of countries on both sides of the dispute, had called for a resolution: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Qatar’s neighbours should make their demands “reasonable and actionable”.
The UAE has said sanctions could last for years. Qatar says the sanctions amount to a “blockade”, but it has ample reserves to weather the storm.
urkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik rejected the demand to close the base, saying it would represent interference in Ankara’s relations with Doha. Turkey might bolster its presence instead.
“Strengthening the Turkish base would be a positive step in terms of the Gulf’s security,” he said. “Re-evaluating the base agreement with Qatar is not on our agenda.”
They also include severing ties with the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic State, al Qaeda, Hezbollah, and Jabhat Fateh al Sham, formerly al Qaeda’s branch in Syria, and the surrender of all designated terrorists on Qatari territory. Qatar denies it has relationships with terrorist groups or shelters terrorists.
The sanctioning countries demanded Qatar pay them reparations for any damage or costs incurred due to Qatari policies. Compliance with the demands would be monitored, with monthly reports in the first year, then every three months the next year, then annually for 10 years, the official said.