Gulf countries ready for talks with Qatar under conditions

Four Gulf states boycotting Qatar are ready for dialogue to ease the dispute if Doha agrees to certain demands.

Four Gulf states cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of backing terrorist groups and cozying up to their arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha denies.
TRT World and Agencies

Four Gulf states cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of backing terrorist groups and cozying up to their arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha denies.

Four Gulf states boycotting Qatar are ready for dialogue to ease the dispute,only if Doha agrees to certain conditions, Bahrain's foreign minister said on Sunday after a meeting with his counterparts.

"The four countries are ready for dialogue with Qatar with the condition that it announces its sincere willingness to stop funding terrorism and extremism and its commitment to not interfere in other countries' foreign affairs and respond to the 13 demands," Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa said.

He was speaking at a televised news conference in Manama after meeting with his Saudi, Emirati and Egyptian counterparts to discuss the dispute.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain have previously issued a list of demands for Qatar.

The four Arab states cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of backing terrorist groups and cozying up to their arch-foe Iran, allegations Doha denies.

Diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait and involving the US and Turkey have failed to end the row.

The stand-off has affected travel and communications between Qatar and the four countries and led to harsh verbal exchanges in the media.

Saudi Arabia has closed its land border with Qatar while all four countries have cut air and sea links with Doha, demanding the gas exporting country take several measures to show it was changing its policies.

Turkey and Iran have stepped in to provide fresh produce, poultry and dairy products to Qatar instead of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with Oman providing alternative ports to those in the UAE.

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

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