WEB DESK
Saudi Arabia has reiterated that its demands on Qatar were not negotiable. Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir, in Washington, showed firmness on stand of his county amid attempts by US and Kuwaiti diplomats to mediate the row which has left Qatar isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbors. Jubeir in a tweet, said, it’s up to Qatar to end its support for extremism and terrorism.
State Department Spokeswoman Heather Nauert said talks over the issue would continue through the week. The United States has cautioned that some of the demands would be difficult for Qatar to accept, asking the Saudis for a clear list of grievances that are reasonable and actionable.
Riyadh had laid down a list of 13 demands for Qatar, included the closure of Al-Jazeera, a downgrade of diplomatic ties with Iran and the shutdown of a Turkish military base in the emirate.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain announced on 5th June suspended all ties with Qatar, and have also closed their airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked the emirate’s only land border.
Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region.