The four Arab countries involved in a diplomatic row with
Qatar have given the oil-rich nation a 10-day ultimatum to meet 13 demands,
including shutting down Al Jazeera media network, before normalcy can be
restored.
The four countries are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab
Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain.
Al Jazeera on Friday reported that the list was presented to
Qatar by neighbouring Kuwait, which is acting as a mediator in the crisis.
It was released more than two weeks after Saudi Arabia led a
coordinated freeze by nine countries on diplomatic and trade relations with
Qatar.
Apart from shutting Al Jazeera and its affiliates, other
conditions given to Qatar are: halting the development of a Turkish military
base in the country, reducing diplomatic ties with Iran, cutting ties to
terrorist organisations, stop interfering in the four countries’ affairs and
stopping the practice of giving Qatari nationality to citizens of the four
countries.
Qatar has yet to publicly respond to the demands.
The Arab nations cut ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing it
of supporting terrorism and destabilising the region.
Qatar has rejected the accusations, calling them
“unjustified and baseless.”
By Wale Odunsi
