Four Arab countries say they are ready for Qatar dialogue, with conditions

Four Arab countries boycotting Qatar are ready for dialogue to ease the dispute if Doha agrees to certain demands, 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.

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. Diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait and involving the United States and Turkey have failed to end the row, which has affected travel and communications between Qatar and the four countries and led to harsh verbal exchanges in the media.

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