UAE threatens to 'divorce' Qatar if it does not seriously implement its demands

On June 23, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) warned Qatar to seriously implement the demands of neighboring countries if it does not want the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf region to lead to a "divorce" with Doha.

UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash. (Source: Reuters)

UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash issued the warning more than two weeks after the oil-rich region plunged into its worst diplomatic crisis in years.

He accused Qatar of leaking a document containing demands from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, which cut diplomatic ties with the gas-rich country earlier this month.

According to Mr. Gargash, Qatar's leak of the above document was a "childish" act, intentionally destroying the harmony that the Gulf countries considered "brotherhood."

He warned that Qatar needed to be more clear-headed in seriously addressing the demands of its neighbours or a "divorce" would ensue.

The demands of the Arab states were not officially announced by Qatar, but the Doha-based Al-Jazeera television channel said on the night of June 22 that the document was given to Qatar by Kuwait, a mediator in the Gulf diplomatic crisis.

According to Al-Jazeera TV channel, the Saudi-led coalition issued a list of 13 requests, including asking Qatar to close Al-Jazeera channel, downgrade diplomatic relations with Iran, expel all members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, cut all military cooperation with Tehran and close a Turkish military base in the country.

In addition, the list also requires Qatar to cut all ties with "terrorist organizations," including the Muslim Brotherhood, the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) and the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.

Diplomatic tensions in the Gulf region erupted on June 5, after Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, Bahrain and several other countries severed diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of countries in the region.

Qatar has vehemently denied the allegations, saying its neighbors are trying to interfere in its foreign policy. Several countries, including Kuwait, Türkiye and the US, are trying to mediate to end the diplomatic crisis, which has now entered its third week./.

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