Meet our demands, UAE tells Qatar

Abu Dhabi : The United Arab Emirates warned Qatar yesterday that it faces “divorce” from its Gulf neighbours unless it takes seriously a list of demands including the closure of Al-Jazeera television. Anwar Gargash, the UAE’s state minister for foreign affairs, issued the warning more than two weeks into the region’s worst diplomatic crisis in years.

Gargash accused Qatar of leaking a document containing the demands by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, which have cut diplomatic ties and accused Qatar of sponsoring terrorism. The demands have not been officially unveiled but Al-Jazeera news channel said overnight Thursday they were handed to Qatar by Kuwait, which is mediating the dispute.

According to the document posted on social media, the four countries demand that Qatar closes Al-Jazeera, downgrades diplomatic ties with Iran and shuts a Turkish military base in the emirate. 

The list of demands has not been officially confirmed. Gargash alleged Qatar had leaked them in “an attempt to abort the mediation in a childish act that we have grown accustomed to from our brother”.

“It would be wiser that (Qatar) deal seriously with the demands and concerns of the neighbours or a divorce will take place,” he wrote on Twitter. The demands confirm that “the crisis is profound,” Gargash added. Qatar faces a choice of either stability and prosperity, or isolation, he said. “Perhaps the solution is in parting ways.” 

The list of 13 demands circulating on social media also says Qatar must cut ties to groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda and Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah movement. Qatar is also required to hand over opposition figures wanted by its three neighbours and Egypt.  In addition to Al-Jazeera, it must shut online information sites that it supports, according to the reported demands. 

“The brother (Qatar) must realise that the solution for its crisis lies not in Tehran or Beirut or Ankara or Western capitals or in media outlets, but in regaining the trust of its neighbours,” Gargash said.