Arab states to meet in Bahrain to discuss Qatar

Cairo : Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain will meet in Manama to discuss the latest developments on their blockade of Qatar, Egypt’s foreign ministry said yesterday.

In the two-day meeting, the four countries will press Qatar to comply with their demands, which include stopping interference in their internal affairs, the Egyptian statement said.

The four Arab countries added 18 more groups and individuals they say are linked to Qatar to their terrorist lists last week.

The countries have demanded that Qatar break its longstanding ties with the Muslim Brotherhood -- blacklisted as a terror group by the four governments.

They also demanded that it close Al-Jazeera and a Turkish military base, and fall in line with Saudi-led policy in the region, particularly towards Iran.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry, following talks with European Union diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini, warned that the four governments would accept no compromise in their dispute with Qatar.

“We cannot compromise with any form of terrorism, we cannot compromise or enter into any form of negotiations,” Shoukry told a press conference.

Efforts led by Kuwait and Turkey and calls from the U.S. administration have failed to ease what has become the worst rift between Arab states in years.