Risingbd Online Bangla News Portal

Dhaka     Friday   29 March 2024

Qatar rejects Saudi demands as deadline nears

3 || risingbd.com

Published: 06:20, 2 July 2017   Update: 15:18, 26 July 2020
Qatar rejects Saudi demands as deadline nears

International Desk: The demands by Saudi Arabia and its allies were designed to be rejected and to undermine Qatari sovereignty, said the country's foreign minister. But Doha is ready to discuss the issues, given "proper conditions."

Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said Saturday that the 13 conditions imposed on Doha by Saudi Arabia and four of its allies to lift a month-long blockade on Qatar could not be - and were not intended to be - met.

"Everyone is aware that these demands are meant to infringe the sovereignty of the state of Qatar," Al-Thani told a press conference in Rome after meeting his Italian counterpart, Angelino Alfano.

The demands - announced on June 22 and expiring on Sunday - include ending Doha's support for the Muslim Brotherhood, the closure of the Al-Jazeera broadcaster, reducing diplomatic ties with Iran and shutting down a Turkish military base in the country.

Last week, the United Arab Emirates threatened Qatar with "divorce" from its Gulf neighbors if it failed to meet the demands, saying they were non-negotiable.

Along with the UAE, that group includes Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt. Saudi Arabia has closed its airspace to Qatari carriers and blocked its only land border, a key route for food imports.

The group accuses Qatar of supporting extremist groups and has attacked its political connections with Shiite Iran, allegations that Qatar denies. Turkey and Iraq, meanwhile, have backed Qatar in the crisis.

Agencies


risingbd/Dhaka/July 2, 2017/Nasim

risingbd.com