The Arab countries that have severed ties with Qatar have issued a list of demands that the latter should adhere to in order to end the crisis. The demands are sharp as they include shutting down Al-Jazeera, cutting back diplomatic ties to Iran and closing down a Turkish military base in Qatar.
The list has 13 points and has been presented to the Qataris by Kuwait, which is helping in mediating the crisis. The demand include that Qatar sever all ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and with other groups including Hezbollah, Al Qaeda and ISIS, reported Associated Press.
The news agency obtained a copy of the list in Arabic from one of the countries involved in the dispute.
Pointedly, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain severed ties with Qatar on June 5 over allegations that the Arabian Gulf country funds terrorism – an accusation that President Donald Trump has echoed. Those countries have also demanded paying an unspecified sum in compensation.
The list also includes that Qatar must refuse to naturalise citizens from the four countries and expel those currently in Qatar, in what the countries describe as an effort to keep Qatar from meddling in their internal affairs.
They are also demanding that Qatar hand over all individuals who are wanted by those four countries for terrorism, stop funding any extremist entities that are designated as terrorist groups by the US, and provide detailed information about opposition figures that Qatar has funded, ostensibly in Saudi Arabia and the other nations.
However, Qatar's government did not have any immediate reaction to the list. Nor did the United States.
Earlier this week, Rex Tillerson, US Secretary of State, had insisted that Qatar's neighbours provide a list of demands that was "reasonable and actionable."
Regarding Iran, the demand includes that Qatar must shut down diplomatic posts in Iran, expel from Qatar any members of the Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard, and only conduct trade and commerce with Iran that complies with U.S. sanctions. Under the 2015 nuclear deal, nuclear-related sanctions on Iran were eased but other sanctions remain in place.
Regarding Al-Jazeera, the Doha-based satellite broadcaster, the list states that Qatar must also shut down all affiliates. That presumably would mean Qatar would have to close down Al-Jazeera's English-language affiliate. Qatar's neighbors accuse Al-Jazeera of fomenting unrest in the region and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.
The list also calls for regular monitoring to ensure compliance. If Qatar agrees to comply, the list asserts that it will be audited once a month for the first year, and then once per quarter in the second year after it takes effect. For the following 10 years, Qatar would be monitored annually for compliance.