GCC states receive Qatar’s response to demands

The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt have confirmed receiving Qatar’s response to their demands.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday morning – carried by official news agency WAM – the countries said: “The four countries have received the Qatari reply through Kuwait, before the end of the additional deadline, which was granted under the request of the emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahamd Al Jaber Al Sabah. It will be responded to in due time.”

No further details were disclosed.

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and travel ties with Doha last month, accusing the Gulf state of supporting terrorism and backing Iran.

The countries presented Doha with a list of 13 demands via the conflict’s moderator, Kuwait, and warned further sanctions if Qatar does not comply. The demands include closing a Turkish military base in Qatar and shutting down the Al Jazeera TV network, among others.

The deadline for Qatar to comply with the demands initially ended on Sunday, but an extension of two days was later granted.

Officials from the UAE and Saudi Arabia have suggested that further sanctions could be imposed if Doha failed to meet the demands.

On Tuesday, UAE’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash took to Twitter to say that the GCC was at “a historical turning point”.

He said this point had “nothing to do with sovereignty” and at its core was the group’s common approach and commitments.

The choices faced were to either “take care of the common features and refrain from undermining them” or “go our separate ways,” he added.