Qatar's neighbors issue list of punitive demands

Doha has 10 days to comply or risk seeing simmering dispute escalate

DUBAI - Four Arab states boycotting Qatar over alleged support for terrorism have sent Doha a list of 13 demands, including closing Al-Jazeera television and reducing ties to Iran, an official of one of the four countries said.

The demands aimed at ending the worst Gulf Arab crisis in years appear designed to quash a two decade-old foreign policy in which Qatar has punched well above its weight, striding the stage as a peace broker, often in conflicts in Muslim lands.

Doha's independent-minded approach, including a dovish line on Iran and support for Islamist groups, in particular the Muslim Brotherhood, has incensed some of its neighbors who see political Islamism as a threat to their dynastic rule.

The list, compiled by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, which cut economic, diplomatic and travel ties to Doha on June 5, also demands the closing of a Turkish military base in Qatar, the official said.

Qatar must also announce it is severing ties with terrorist, ideological and sectarian organizations, he said, and surrender all designated terrorists on its territory.

Won't negotiate

The four Arab countries accuse Qatar of funding terrorism and cozying up to Iran.

Qatar has denied such accusations.

On Monday, the Qatari foreign ministry said the country would not negotiate with the four states unless they lifted their measures against Doha.

The countries give Doha 10 days to comply, failing which the list becomes "void", the official said, suggesting the dispute could escalate if the 13 demands are not accepted.

The demands, handed by mediator Kuwait, also require that Qatar stop interfering in the four countries' domestic and foreign affairs and stop a practice of giving Qatari nationality to citizens of the four countries, the official said.

Qatar must pay reparations to those countries for any damage or costs incurred over the past few years because of Qatari policies, he added.

Any resulting agreement to comply with the demands will be monitored, with monthly reports in the first year, then every three months the next year, then annually for 10 years, the official said without elaborating.

US President Donald Trump has taken a tough stance on Qatar, accusing it of being a "high level" sponsor of terrorism, but he has also offered help to the parties in the dispute to resolve their differences.

Turkey has backed Qatar during the three-week-old crisis and this week sent its first ship carrying food aid to Qatar.

Turkey's defense minister said on Friday his country had no plans to shut down its military base in Qatar. "At the moment, there is no likelihood of bringing the matter back to the table," Fikri Isik said.

Reuters - AP