Qatar says Saudi-led demands not 'reasonable'

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This file photo taken on May 21, 2017 shows US President Donald Trump (R) shaking hands with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, during a bilateral meeting at a hotel in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

Other demands call on Doha to publically denounce relations with Islamist groups, end suspected financing of terrorism and hand over persons designated as terrorists by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt.

On the impact of the leakage by Qatar of the demands made by the four countries, Dr Gargash said: "Diplomacy is a priority to resolve the crisis with Qatar, but it should change its behaviour and position regarding the support of extremism and terrorism".

Agree to all the demands within 10 days of list being submitted to Qatar, or the list will become invalid.

According to the document posted on social media, the four countries demand that Qatar close Al-Jazeera, downgrade diplomatic ties with Iran and shut a Turkish military base in the emirate.

A top Emirati diplomat said on Saturday that U.S. and European guarantees would be needed to monitor any future agreement aimed at ending a row between Qatar and its neighbors.

"The brother (Qatar) must realise that the solution for its crisis lies not in Tehran or Beirut or Ankara or Western capitals or in media outlets, but in regaining the trust of its neighbours", Gargash said.

- Stop all contact with the political opposition in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain.

"I am sure as temperatures rise, other countries such as the United States, the UK, the French - who have longstanding ties with the GCC countries ... will step in and try and play a mediating role", he said.

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They are trying to limit Qatar's sovereignty and take over its foreign policy, says Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, director of the Qatari government's communications office.

"Qatar announced its receipt of a paper, on June 22, containing demands from the seige countries and Egypt", read a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, published in the early hours of Saturday morning local time. The conflict between the Arab countries and Qatar should be settled by diplomatic means on the basis of balance of interests, a high-ranking source at the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS on Saturday.

The demands are apparently aimed at dismantling Qatar's two-decade-old interventionist foreign policy, which has reflected the clout generated by its vast natural gas and oil wealth.

The sanctions have disrupted Qatar's main import routes by land from Saudi Arabia and by sea from big container ships docked in the UAE. Qatar "cannot be a Trojan horse" in regards to security in the region, he said.

"The US Secretary of State recently called upon the blockading nations to produce a list of grievances that was "reasonable and actionable". This all comes with the allegations that Qatar is funding terrorist organisations and attempting to destabilise the Middle East.

The most powerful Middle Eastern country to stand with Qatar in the dispute has been Turkey, which has rushed through legislation to send more troops to its base in Doha as a sign of support.

Among other things, they have demanded the closure of Al Jazeera TV, which is funded by the Qatari government.

The US military including the defence secretary has repeatedly backed Qatar, and praised its cooperation against terrorist groups. "But this is something that they want to and should work out for themselves".

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