UAE, Saudi Arabia reject Qatari emir’s call for dialog

YemenExtra

The United Arab Emirates has rejected a Qatari call for dialog, saying Doha has to change its policies before talks could take place to lift a Saudi-led blockade of the Persian Gulf Arab state. 

Qatar last month dismissed a list of 13 demands put forward by four Arab countries, which asked the country to close down Al Jazeera television, curb ties with Iran and shut down a Turkish military base.

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash on Saturday welcomed Qatari emir Sheikh Tamin bin Hamad al-Thani’s call for dialog, but said Doha had to make changes which he did not specify.

“Dialog is necessary and needed but its backbone has to be revision,” Gargash said as he expressed disappointment with the Qatari emir’s first speech since the crisis began last month.

“I had hoped that the speech of Sheikh Tamim would be an initiative for revision,” Gargash said of the remarks made on Friday.

Sheikh Tamin described the blockade as “a pre-planned smearing campaign” and an act of aggression, while reasserting Doha’s position that it would not capitulate under pressure.

The quartet comprising Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE, and Bahrain severed diplomatic ties and cut all land, sea, and air routes with Qatar on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism and intervening in the region.