Gulf blockade countries abandon demands to end crisis with Qatar

Diplomatic sources from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt said the four countries boycotting Qatar have dropped their list of 13 demands to end the crisis with Qatar.

The four countries want Qatar to accept six principles including a pledge to fight terrorism and extremism and end incitement, diplomats said during a meeting with reporters at the UN yesterday.

The sources added that the countries now want to end the worsening crisis.

Qatari diplomats and Western newspapers have recently said that the blockade countries have failed to strangle Qatar economically and politically, and that it is time to retreat.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on 5 June accusing Doha of supporting extremism, terrorism and destabilising the region.

The countries submitted through Kuwait a list of 13 demands in exchange for normalising relations. Doha rejected the demands, describing them as a violation of its sovereignty and denied accusations that it supports terrorism.

Read: Boycotting countries find no solution to Qatar crisis