Bahrain’s Foreign Minister says Qatar must comply

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa received a phone call from his US counterpart Rex Tillerson on Sunday evening, during which the Bahraini official stressed the need for Qatar to comply with the list of demands from boycotting countries and stop its support for terrorism.

During the call, the officials exchanged views and discussed cutting off relations with Qatar, as well as ways to reach a result that will ensure security and peace in the region, Bahrain’s news agency reported. The Bahraini foreign minister also stressed the importance of Qatar’s commitment to its previous obligations and the demands made by boycotting countries in order achieve stability in the region, to eliminate terrorism and support development and progress.

Qatar could be hit by fresh sanctions as a deadline to accept a list of demands by its Arab and Gulf neighbors, which have severed ties with Doha, expires on Sunday night.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain will meet in Manama on Saturday to discuss the latest developments on their blockade of Qatar, Egypt's foreign ministry said on Friday. The four Arab states cut ties with Qatar early last month, accusing it of backing terrorist groups, which Doha denies, and developing ties with Iran.

In the two-day meeting, the four countries will press Qatar to comply with their demands, which include stopping interference in their internal affairs, the Egyptian statement said. The four Arab countries added 18 more groups and individuals they say are linked to Qatar to their terrorist lists last week. Efforts led by Kuwait and Turkey and calls from the U.S. administration have failed to ease what has become the worst rift between Arab states in years.

The four Arab countries have severed diplomatic ties with Qatar early last month accusing Doha of supporting terrorism, interfering in their internal affairs and seeking closer ties with Iran, a Saudi rival.

Qatar has strongly denied the charges against it, while rejecting a list of 13 demands put forward by the bloc for resuming diplomatic ties.

Kuwait has been trying to mediate the crisis and several top Western diplomats have toured the region to try to defuse the row, including U.S. Secretary of States Rex Tillerson.

On Thursday, Qatar's foreign minister accused Gulf neighbors and Egypt of "stubbornness" in their ongoing diplomatic dispute and said the United Nations should step in to help resolve the crisis.

Source: ANTARA