Qatar Rejects Saudi-Led Bloc’s New Claims

Qatar has rejected new claims by a Saudi-led bloc of countries that it “finances terrorism” and intervenes in their internal affairs, Press T.V reported.

“The State of Qatar’s position on terrorism is consistent and known for its rejection and condemnation of all forms of terrorism, whatever the causes and motives,” the state Qatar News Agency quoted a senior Foreign Ministry source as saying on Friday.

The bloc, consisting of Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates, severed diplomatic ties and cut all land, sea, and air routes with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism and destabilizing the region, allegations denied by Doha.

 They later issued a 13-point list of demands for Doha to meet in order for the relations to be restored. Among them was that Qatar close a Turkish military base, limit its ties with Iran, and “compensate” the sanctioning countries. They also demanded that Al Jazeera, a media network that has reportedly been critical of Saudi Arabia and the other boycotting countries, be closed.

Qatar has said those demands reveal how the Saudi-bloc’s pretext for the severance of ties with Doha, i.e. the accusation that Qatar sponsors terror, is just that: a pretext. Doha has refused to meet the “unreasonable” demands, but it has also voiced readiness for a negotiated solution to the standoff.

R.S