JEDDAH (Sputnik) – Riyadh wants Doha to exhibit clarity and a serious approach to the resolution of the Qatar diplomatic crisis, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Jubeir said Sunday.
"As for the Qatar crisis, our goal is clear, we have repeatedly talked about it in public. Qatar knows very well what it needs to do. We want clarity in Qatar's position and seriousness on their part in the search for the resolution of the crisis, so that it all would lead to the implementation of the principles that all countries in the world agree with," Jubeir said at a press conference in Jeddah following his talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
According to the Saudi minister, such principles included not financing terrorism or supporting extremism, not spreading hatred, not interfering in other countries' affairs.
In early June, Manama, Cairo, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi cut off diplomatic relations with Doha, accusing the latter of supporting extremism in the Middle East and interfering in their internal affairs. A number of states backed this initiative. Doha has repeatedly rejected all the accusations.
Kuwait, acting as a mediator in the crisis, handed over 13 demands of the four Arab states. However, Doha has refused to comply with the demands.
On Friday, Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Doha was ready to discuss the demands made by Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, except the issues related to the country's sovereignty.
In early June, Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates cut diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorist organizations and destabilizing the situation in the Middle East. The Qatari Foreign Ministry rejected the accusations of Doha's interference in other countries' domestic affairs and expressed regret over the Saudi-led group's decision to cut off diplomatic ties.
On June 22, the countries blocking Qatar conveyed to Doha via mediators from Kuwait a list of 13 demands to restore relations. The list included, in particular, the closing of the Al Jazeera broadcasting network and the scaling down of Qatar's ties with Iran. Doha has rejected the demands as an infringement on Qatar's sovereignty.
