Ex-CIA Officers Find Work In Qatar

WNU Editor: From the AP .... World Cup host Qatar used ex-CIA officer to spy on FIFA (AP). 

But this story on Qatar hiring former CIA officers is nothing new. 

Here is a story from last year .... EXCLUSIVE: Donald Trump's former fundraiser claims ex-CIA agents hacked him, Jared Kushner's diplomat confidante and string of Americans as part of 'campaign of spying and blackmail' for Gulf state of Qatar (Daily Mail).

Qatar Calls On Gulf Nations To Begin Talks With Iran

Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani as he attends a press conference in Moscow on 23 December (AFP) 

Middle East Eye: Qatar minister calls on Gulf states to hold talks with Iran 

Shortly after Saudi Arabia and its allies lifted their blockade on Doha, Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani calls for dialogue with Tehran 

Qatar has called for Gulf Arab countries to hold talks with Iran, the foreign minister said in an interview aired on Tuesday, after Doha reconciled with its neighbours after a three-year blockade. 

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who has previously called for dialogue with Iran, told Bloomberg TV he was "hopeful that this would happen and we still believe this should happen". 

"This is also a desire that's shared by other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries," he said. 

Read more .... 

WNU Editor: I do not see this happening. The Gulf Nations and Iran do not have any common ground to even begin talks. 

 More News On Qatar Calling On Gulf Nations To Begin Talks With Iran 

Qatar calls on Gulf nations to engage in diplomacy with Iran -- Al Jazeera 

Qatar calls for Gulf talks with Iran -- France 24 

Qatar urges dialogue between Persian Gulf states and Iran as Biden heads to White House -- Washington Post 

Qatar Says It’s Time Gulf Arabs Start Talks with Iran -- Bloomberg 

Qatar's foreign minister wants Gulf Arab nations to talk with Iran: Bloomberg -- Reuters

Qatar To Beomce the First Arab Gulf State To Operate Submarines

Fincantieri build the Type-212 Todaro Class submarine for the Italian Navy. It remains to be seen which type Qatar's subs will be. Fincantieri

Forbes: Qatar may become the first Arab Gulf state to operate submarines

Qatar may become the first Arab Gulf state to operate submarines. A new memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Italian defense giant Fincantieri covers the “supply of cutting-edge naval vessels and submarines.” Italy is known to be supplying warships to the Emiri Navy but the inclusion of subs is fresh information. It is significant because it could change the naval balance in the region.

The Qatari submarines may be part of a much larger 5 billion euro deal with Italy which was agreed in 2017. That deal included a large helicopter carrier, called a Landing Platform Dock (LPD), four warships and two patrol boats. It also involves shore support and help with a new offshore naval base.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I expect Saudi Arabia to quickly follow with their own subs.

Leaked U.S. Intelligence Report: Qatar Had Prior Knowledge Of Iranian Plans To Attack Oil Tankers But Failed To Tell Allies

A damaged Andrea Victory ship is seen off the Port of Fujairah, United Arab Emirates, May 13, 2019. REUTERS/Satish Kumar.

FOX News: Qatar had prior knowledge of Iran attack on vessels, failed to tell allies: report

Qatar had advance knowledge on an Iranian attack on four commercial vessels in the Gulf of Oman in May and may have failed to warn its U.S., French and British allies, a western intelligence report alleges.

The report, obtained exclusively by Fox News, claims that Qatar had prior knowledge of the May 12 attack of two Saudi tankers, a Norwegian tanker and a UAE bunkering ship near the port of Fujairah in the vital waterway, which connects the Strait of Hormuz to the Indian Ocean, near the United Arab Emirates.

“Credible intelligence reports indicate that the IRGC-Quds Forces Naval unit is responsible for the Fujairah Port attacks, and the elements of civilian government of Iran, as well as the State of Qatar, were aware of the IRGC’s activities,” the report said.

Read more ....

Update: Did Qatar Know About The Saudi Oil Attacks In Advance? (OilPrice.com)

WNU Editor: Qatar already has bad relations with its Arab neighbours. This is not going to help.

Growing Resentment In Gaza Against Qatar And Their Aid Money

A Palestinian civil servant in the Gaza Strip receives her salary paid by Qatar, in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip, Dec. 7, 2018. (Reuters Photo)

Shlomi Eldar, Al-Monitor: Qatar sinks into Gaza quagmire

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu convened his diplomacy-defense cabinet on Jan. 25, asking ministers to vote on transferring the third installment of Qatari grant money to the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu did not in fact require the cabinet’s approval to make the transfer, as its members had already voted in October 2018 for the Qatari proposal to fund the pay of Palestinians employed by the Hamas government for six months. The grant was divided into six installments and the cash began to flow, much to the delight of Hamas and the chagrin of Israeli politicians who harshly attacked Netanyahu. In between the second and third installment, early elections were called in Israel and Netanyahu was worried. What would the opposition say, and would members of his ruling coalition accuse him of paying protection money to a terror organization?

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Qataris should just walk away.

President Trump's Envoy Working On Qatar Dispute Resigns

Zinni joins a long list of officials who have left or been ousted from Donald Trump's administration (AFP)

CBS: U.S. envoy working on Qatar dispute resigns from State Department

Anthony Zinni, a retired Marine Corps general and former head of U.S. Central Command who has been working as an envoy for the Trump administration to resolve a dispute with Qatar, has resigned from his position with the State Department. He is the latest four-star general to exit the administration.

Zinni resigned after realizing he could not help resolve the Qatar dispute "because of the unwillingness of the regional leaders to agree to a viable mediation effort that we offered to conduct or assist in implementing," he told CBS News. Zinni also felt there was no need for his involvement with the Middle East Strategic Alliance (MESA) concept — a NATO-style security alliance — that he was asked to introduce to regional leaders, since other members of the administration are carrying it forward.

A senior State Department official described Zinni's departure as a "soft resignation."

Read more ....

WNU Editor: He realized what everyone has been saying for the past year. Qatar's dispute with its neighbours is impossible to resolve.

More News On President Trump's Envoy Working On Qatar Dispute Resigning

Retired general picked by Trump admin to resolve Qatar dispute resigns -- The Hill
US envoy working on Qatar dispute quits Trump admin -- CNN
US envoy Anthony Zinni tasked with resolving Gulf crisis resigns -- Al Jazeera
Another general quits: Anthony Zinni steps down as Qatar envoy -- Washingtoin Examiner
US envoy tasked with resolving GCC crisis resigns -- Middle East Eye

Qatar Is Quitting OPEC

VOA: Qatar Quitting OPEC to Focus on Exports of Liquefied Natural Gas

Qatar says it is quitting the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from January 2019 to focus on exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Speaking to reporters Monday in Doha, the country’s minister of state for energy affairs, Saad Sherida al-Kaabi, made the surprise announcement, saying that the world's largest exporter of LNG plans to increase its exports from 77 million tons of gas per year to 110 million tons.

Read more ....

More News On Qatar Quitting OPEC

Qatar to pull out of Saudi-dominated OPEC amid Doha boycott -- AP
Qatar plans to leave OPEC to focus on natural gas -- The Hill
Qatar to withdraw from OPEC in January 2019 -- Al Jazeera
Qatar is pulling out of OPEC to focus on gas -- CNN
Qatar pulls out of Opec to focus on gas production -- The Guardian
Qatar quitting OPEC means the oil cartel is now just a ‘two-member organization,’ oil analyst says -- CNBC
Qatar Quits OPEC -- OilPrice.com
Why would Doha choose to leave Opec now?
Qexit is a surprise, but not a severe blow -- Robin Mills, The National

Qatar Is Spending Billions On Its Military

Tanks assigned the Qatar Emiri Land Forces roll through Al Galail, Qatar, April 28, 2013 during Eagle Resolve 2013.US Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Juanenrique Owings

Reuters/Business Insider: Qatar is still being boycotted by its neighbors, and now it's pouring tens of billions of dollars into its military

DOHA (Reuters) - Qatar will more than double its naval forces by 2025 as a massive new base comes online and it expands a national service program amid a protracted dispute with neighbors which it says requires greater self-reliance.

Like its larger neighbors, the tiny but gas-rich state has used its massive wealth to launch a sweeping modernization of its military, pouring tens of billions of dollars into some of the world's most advanced weapons systems.

Qatari defense officials said the buildup has been planned for several years, and predates a Saudi Arabia-led political and economic boycott imposed since June 2017 over allegations that Doha supports terrorism — something which Qatar denies.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Qatar exists in a very dangerous part of the world. This buildup should be expected.

Report: President Trump Stopped Saudi Arabia And U.A.E. From Invading Qatar

Bloomberg: Trump Warned Saudis Off Military Move on Qatar

* Gulf nations weighed use of force to change neighbor’s regime
* Trump told them any such move would trigger crisis, aid Iran

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates considered taking military action in the early stages of their ongoing dispute with Qatar, until Donald Trump called leaders of both countries and warned them to back off, according to two people familiar with the U.S. president’s intervention.

The two Gulf countries were looking at ways to remove the Qatari regime, which they accused of sponsoring terrorism and cozying up to Iran, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the discussions were confidential. Trump told Saudi and U.A.E. leaders that any military action would trigger a crisis across the Middle East that would only benefit the Iranians, one of the people said.

Read more ....

Update: Trump Prevented War Between Saudi Arabia And Qatar In Last Minute: Report (Zero Hedge)

WNU Editor: President Trump is right .... a Saudi - UAE war against Qatar would not only have put at risk U.S. military personnel in the country, but it would have also sparked a conflict with countries like Turkey who rushed in military personnel to Qatar to deter such an invasion. An invasion would have made a very bad situation into something far worse .... and yes .... it would only benefit Iran.

Watch As Screaming Arab League Members Accuse Each Other Of Terrorism (Update)

"No. When I speak you be quiet."

Things got heated between Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE at this week's Arab League meeting. pic.twitter.com/C4Lc8VwvdE

— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) September 13, 2017

Zero Hedge: "You Rabid Dogs!": Watch As Screaming Arab League Members Accuse Each Other Of Terrorism

We knew it was coming. An Arab League showdown on Tuesday turned into a shouting match involving allies turned bitter enemies Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates.

Currently Qatar is being boycotted by four other Arab states and the once strong Gulf Cooperation Council alliance (GCC) is in shambles. Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi immediately raised the boycott in his opening remarks though the dispute was supposed to be carefully avoided and wasn't on the agenda. He called Qatar's gulf enemies, especially Saudi Arabia, “rabid dogs”.

Read more ....

Previous Post: Qatar Trades Barbs With The Four States Boycotting It At The Arab League (September 12, 2017)

WNU Editor: I predicted a three months ago that Qatar's dispute with its neighbors would be over in a month or two ....  I was wrong. The animosity between Qatar and its neighbors are clearly poisonous .... and I suspect that this dispute is going to go on for a long time.

Qatar Trades Barbs With The Four States Boycotting It At The Arab League

Secretary General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit (L) looks on during Arab Foreign Ministers meeting in a regular session to discuss latest developments in Middle Eastern affairs, in Cairo, Egypt September 12, 2017. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Reuters: Qatar, neighbors trade barbs at Arab League over boycott

CAIRO (Reuters) - Diplomats from Qatar and the four states boycotting it exchanged heated words at an Arab League meeting on Tuesday.

Tensions flared after Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi discussed the boycott in his opening speech despite the Gulf dispute not being on the agenda.

He called the Gulf monarchy’s critics “rabid dogs”.

“Even the animals were not spared, you sent them out savagely,” Muraikhi said, referring to the thousands of camels left stranded on the border between Qatar and Saudi Arabia after borders were closed.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar on June 5, suspending air and shipping routes with the world’s biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, which is home to the region’s biggest U.S. military base.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: This is what is annoying many of the Gulf states .... Stand-off at Arab League as Qatar praises Iran (Arab News).

New Questions Arise On The Relationship Between Qatar And 9/11 Mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammad

The mastermind. A picture purportedly showing al-Qaeda’s Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, supposed mastermind of the September 11, 2001, attacks at the Guantanamo Bay detention camp. Red Cross

Salman Al-Ansari, The Hill: How the 9/11 mastermind found safe harbor in Qatar?

In my opinion, Khalid Shaikh Mohammad (KSM), the mastermind of the 9/11 terror attacks, used Qatar as a hub that launched a thousand terrors. It is from Doha that KSM worked and lived, planning and plotting future terrorist acts.

Qatar served as an important nexus for KSM. KSM travelled to the Philippines in 1994 to work on the Bojinka plot, a Manila-based plot to destroy twelve commercial airliners flying routes between the United States, East Asia, and Southeast Asia.

In 1995, KSM worked as a humanitarian aid worker for Egyptian Relief, a front for the Muslim Brotherhood, and obtained Bosnian citizenship in November 1995. KSM was in Doha at least twice during 1995-1996. During his time in Doha, Qatari Minister of Religious Affairs Sheikh Abdullah al-Thani sheltered KSM. To be sure, KSM spent less than a year in Doha, but the effects are certainly evil and deadly.

Read more ....

Update: Qatar and the curious case of Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (The Arab Weekly)

WNU Editor: Qatar's ties to people like 9/11 mastermind Khalid Shaikh Mohammad and other Al Qaeda leaders have been circulating for a very long time .... Terror financiers are living freely in Qatar, US discloses (The Telegraph). And while this renewed interest on what is Qatar's history with Khalid Shaikh Mohammad is probably due to Qatar's current dispute with its neighbours .... at least a discussion on Qatar's role is now being raised, and I can only hope that this will continue.

Qatar Was Not The Only Persian Gulf State That Wanted To Host The Taliban 'Embassy'

New York Times: Persian Gulf Rivals Competed to Host Taliban, Leaked Emails Show

LONDON — In their long-running rivalry, the United Arab Emirates has often accused its neighbor Qatar of abetting Islamist militants, citing as one prime example the 2013 opening of a Taliban embassy in the Qatari capital, Doha.

Now it turns out that the Emiratis tried to get the Taliban to open an embassy in their own country instead. The Emirati ambassador to Washington, Yousef al-Otaiba, even received “an angry phone call” from the foreign minister at the time complaining that the Taliban had ended up in Qatar and not the U.A.E., according to leaked emails from the ambassador’s account.

The leaks are the latest salvo in a two-month-old feud among the Persian Gulf neighbors that has divided Washington’s allies in the fights against the Islamic State and Iran. In June, the U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt cut off trade and diplomatic relations with Qatar as punishment for what they said was its support of Islamist extremism. Qatar, the site of the largest American air base in the region, charged that Saudi Arabia and the Emirates were inventing a pretext to bully their neighbor.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The Taliban appear to favour Qatar .... Afghan Taliban: Qatar plays major role in peace talks (Al Jazeera). This competition to host the Taliban also makes complaints on how Qatar treats the Taliban difficult to accept .... Qataris must stop spoiling their Taliban guests if they are serious about their pledges to the US (Con Coughlin, The National).

More News On Reports That The Persian Gulf States Were Competing Against Qatar To Host The Taliban

UAE Lobbied US To Host Taliban Embassy Instead of Gulf Rival Qatar, Hacker Group Global Leaks Reveals -- Newsweek
Leaks: ‘UAE wanted to host the Taliban’s embassy instead of Qatar’ -- Middle East Monitor
Doha’s Taliban links are worrying -- Gulf News
Former CIA official: Qatar has ties with terrorist groups ‎ -- Al Arabiya

Arab Countries Modify Their Demands And Are Urging Qatar To Accept Six Broader 'Principles'

The National: Arab countries urge Qatar to accept six broader 'principles'

Diplomats from the four countries confirmed at the United Nations in New York that the six principles - which do not have a deadline - were the perimeters of any future talks.

The four Arab countries isolating Qatar say a broader set of six “principles” will set the perimeters of any future talks on ending the crisis.

This could indicate that the quartet is now more willing to engage in the mediation process led by Kuwait and backed by the United States, United Nations and European powers.

“Of course we are all for compromise, but there will be no compromise on these six principles,” said Abdallah Al Mouallimi, Saudi Arabia’s UN ambassador.

The six principles - which Qatar rejected as violating its sovereignty and mediators from the US and elsewhere criticised - was first announced in Cairo two weeks ago after the foreign ministers of the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain met there to determine their response to Doha’s rejection.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: I expected last month that Qatar would cave-in to most of these demands in 2 or 3 months .... since the Arab bloc itself was not seriously impacted by these sanctions against Qatar, and they were well positioned to really put the screws to Qatar's financial institutions if they wanted. So why the change among the Arab bloc .... I suspect that it is because of pressure from other Arab states, and the U.S.. There are bigger issues at play right now in Syria and Iraq .... and in this context the Qatar crisis was/is an unwelcome diversion. What I am now curious about is .... will Qatar accept these six "broader principles". My gut says yes .... that US Secretary of State Tillerson's shuttle diplomacy last week on the Qatar crisis has already laid the ground work for an agreement, and it is just a question of time before it is publicly announced.

More News On The Qatar Crisis

Arab states back down from demands, urge Qatar to accept new principles -- AP
Saudi-led bloc modifies demands to end Qatar crisis -- Qatar
Countries That Broke Ties With Qatar Indicate Some Flexibility on Demands -- New York Times
Qatar Crisis: Saudi-led Coalition Drops 13 Demands to End the Boycott -- Haaretz
Gulf Countries Cut List of Demands for Qatar by Half, Revoke Deadlines -- Sputnik

The Qatar Crisis -- News Updates July 6-7, 2017

The Guardian: Qatar crisis: four Arab states vow fresh economic and political sanctions

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain says initial list of 13 demands would be replaced with fresh measures

The four Arab states leading the boycott against Qatar said late on Thursday that Doha’s refusal of their demands to resolve a Gulf diplomatic crisis was proof of its links to terrorist groups and that they would enact new measures against it.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain released a joint statement carried by their state media saying their initial list of 13 demands was now void and pledging new political, economic and legal steps against Qatar.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: The U.S. is correct that this dispute is going to go on for a while, and my gut is agreeing with this commentator's analysis that Qatar will probably agree to the quartet's demands in a few months .... Qatar will quietly surrender in the dark (Abdulrahman Al-Rashed, Arab News).

The Qatar Crisis -- News Updates July 6-7, 2017

Four Arab states leading Qatar boycott say initial demands void, vow more measures -- Reuters
Four Arab States to Take 'Political, Economic and Legal' Measures Against Qatar -- Sputnik
Arab Nations Continue Isolation Of Qatar Which Ignores Their List Of Demands -- NPR
U.S. Says Dispute Between Qatar and Neighbors at Impasse -- NYT
Qatar: Rex Tillerson to travel to Kuwait in bid to resolve Arab dispute -- ABC News Online
Rex Tillerson Will Visit Kuwait in Response to Growing U.S. Concern About the Gulf Dispute -- Times/Reuters
Qatar: we’re too rich to be threatened -- The Australian
World-beating wealth props up Qatar against Arab sanctions -- Reuters
AP Analysis: Qatar's defiance may spur Arab quartet to act -- AP

The Qatar Crisis -- News Updates July 2, 2017

Reuters: Gulf deadline to resolve Qatar rift approaches

DUBAI/DOHA (Reuters) - Qatar faces possible further sanctions by Arab states that have severed ties with Doha over allegations of links to terrorism, as a deadline to accept their demands is expected to expire on Sunday night.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said the demands were made to be rejected, adding that the Arab ultimatum was aimed not at tackling terrorism but at curtailing his country's sovereignty.

State news agency QNA reported that he would inform the ruler of Kuwait, a neutral Gulf Arab country seeking to mediate in the spat, of Qatar's response on Monday.

Read more ....

WNU Editor: Arab foreign ministers will discuss what will be done next on Wednesday .... Arab Foreign Ministers to Discuss Qatar in Cairo on Wednesday (U.S. News & World Report/Reuters).

The Qatar Crisis -- News Updates July 2, 2017

Qatar's response to demands to be given to Kuwait today -- Gulf Times
Qatar defiant as demands deadline approaches -- NBC/CNN
Qatar ready to defend itself from Gulf neighbours -- Sky News
Gulf deadline to resolve Qatar rift approaches -- Reuters
Deadline approaches for defiant Qatar to accept Gulf states' demands -- DW
Qatar facing fresh sanctions as deadline to meet Gulf demands approaches -- The Telegraph
Qatar May Face More Sanctions, But Definitely Not War -- Sputnik
Gulf crisis set to escalate -- James M. Dorsey, Daily Star

The Qatar Crisis -- News Updates June 29, 2017

Reuters: Qatar working with U.S., Kuwaitis on response to Gulf demands: minister

Qatar said on Thursday it was working with the United States and Kuwait to respond to a list of demands presented by Arab states who have accused Doha of supporting terrorism, an allegation that ignited a regional crisis between the U.S. allies.

The feud erupted on June 5 when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and travel links with Qatar, accusing it also of courting regional foe Iran. Qatar denies the allegations.

Read more ....

The Qatar Crisis -- News Updates June 29, 2017

Qatar says it is ready to negotiate with Gulf neighbours in diplomatic crisis over ‘legitimate issues’ -- The Independent
Qatar 'ready to discuss, won't compromise sovereignty' -- Al Jazeera
Qatari Diplomat: Arab Conspiracy Led to Blockade -- US News and World Report
Global exchanges, banks refusing Qatari riyals amid crisis -- Arab News
Qatar has chance to change course and enhance regional security, Egypt says -- The National
How to negotiate the Qatar crisis -- Admiral James Stavridis, New York Daily News
Accept demands or it’s goodbye Qatar -- Gulf News
There's No Space for Qatar to Save Face -- Foreign Policy
Is the Saudi Boycott of Qatar Driving It into the Arms of Iran? -- Juan Cole, The Nation
A powder keg in Qatar -- Kevin Williamson, NRO
How does the Qatar crisis end? -- Marcus Solarz Hendriks, New Arab

The Qatar Crisis -- News Updates June 28, 2017

Reuters: Saudi, Qatar ministers spar over Arab nations' demands

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Tuesday that there would be no negotiations over demands by the kingdom and other Arab states for Qatar to stop supporting terrorism.

Doha retorted that the allegations against it and demands were baseless and unacceptable. Qatar has previously also said the demands were aimed at curbing its sovereignty.

Asked by reporters on a visit to Washington if the demands were non-negotiable, Saudi's Jubeir said: "Yes."

"We made our point, we took our steps and it's up to the Qataris to amend their behavior and once they do things will be worked out but if they don't they will remain isolated," Jubeir said.

Read more ....

The Qatar Crisis -- News Updates June 27, 2017

Qatar must change its behaviour or remain isolated, Saudi FM says -- The National
Demands on Qatar not negotiable, says Al-Jubeir -- Saudi Gazette
Saudi Arabia: Qatar demand list is non-negotiable -- Al Jazeera
Qatari foreign minister says Arab demands 'unacceptable' -- Reuters
Qatar accuses neighbours of terrorism hypocrisy as isolation continues -- SKY News
Tillerson Meets Qatari FM on Persian Gulf Crisis -- VOA
Iran’s policy is to strengthen ties with Qatar, Rouhani says -- Tehran Times

Qatar Dismisses Arab Demands As Diplomatic Spat Drags On

BBC: Qatar says list of demands by Arab states not realistic

Qatar's foreign minister has rejected a list of 13 conditions set by four Arab states for lifting sanctions, saying it is neither reasonable nor actionable.

Qatar is under strict sanctions from Saudi Arabia and its allies, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain. They accuse Qatar of backing terrorism.

Among other things, they have demanded the closure of Al Jazeera TV, which is funded by the Qatari government.

The UAE's foreign minister has suggested they may cut ties completely.

But Anwar Gargash added that the countries were not seeking to overthrow the Qatari leadership, the Associated Press news agency reports.

Qatar has been under unprecedented diplomatic and economic sanctions for more than two weeks, with Iran and Turkey increasingly supplying it with food and other goods.

Read more ....

More News On Qatar Dismissing Arab Demands As Diplomatic Spat Drags On

Qatar casts aside list of demands by Arab states -- Financial Times
Qatar Shuns 'Unreasonable' Saudi-Led Demands To Cut Ties With Iran, Shut Al-Jazeera -- RFD
Qatar Says Demands Made by Four Arab States Not 'Realistic' -- US News and World Report/Reuters
Qatar: List of Demands from Saudi, Allies Not ‘Realistic’ -- Al Bawaba
Neighboring Arab Nations Slap Qatar With 13-Point List Of Demands -- Yahoo News
Saudi-Led Bloc Seeks Diplomatic Fix to Impasse With Qatar -- Bloomberg
UAE: Arab states don’t seek ‘regime change’ in Qatar -- Washington Post/AP
UAE sees 'parting of ways' if Qatar does not accept Arab demands -- Reuters
Saudi Arabia is trying to make Qatar shutter Al Jazeera — and transform its foreign policy -- Zeeshan Aleem, VOX
The Gulf's Demands on Qatar Look Designed to Be Rejected -- The Atlantic
Why Qatar Unlikely to Bow to Saudi-Led Demand for Cutting Ties With Iran -- Sputnik

Qatar Receives 13 Demands From Arab States To End The Current Crisis

Reuters: Arab states send Qatar 13 demands to end crisis, official says

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 list compiled by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain also demands the closing of a Turkish military base in Qatar and the handing over of all designated terrorists on its territory, the official told Reuters.

The countries give Doha 10 days to comply. The list was handed over to Qatar by Kuwait, which is mediating in the dispute. Qatar denies any support for terrorism.

Read more ....

Update #1: List of demands on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, other Arab nations (Washington Post/AP)
Update #2: Saudi Arabia & allies demand Qatar close Turkish base, shut Al-Jazeera and more within 10 days (RT).

WNU Editor: The Arab coalition is paying hardball. No response yet from Qatar, but Turkey is doubling down their support of Qatar .... Turkey to Move More Troops, Food to Qatar (VOA).