The foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt are meeting in Cairo to discuss the next steps in their month-long stand-off with Qatar.
Representatives of the four countries met in the Egyptian capital on Wednesday after Doha responded to a far-reaching list of their demands which the bloc insisted must be met to end the tiny energy-rich kingdom’s isolation.
A joint statement issued early Wednesday morning said the countries would respond “in a timely manner.” It did not elaborate.
After a two-day extension, Doha submitted its response to what it considered “legitimate” demands from its neighbours early on Wednesday via Kuwait, which is acting as a mediator.
Tentative reconciliation efforts led by Kuwaiti delegations, as well as encouragement from Turkey, Germany, the US State Department and UN, have so far come to nothing. With all sides so far refusing to back down, it is feared a compromise could still be elusive.
The four Arab nations - followed by a handful of other Muslim countries - abruptly cut off ties on 5 June over Doha’s alleged funding of organisations considered terror groups by its neighbours, warm relations with Iran and other meddling in foreign affairs.
The move plunged the country into crisis, sending the stock market tumbling and effectively closing down its airspace.
Families have been split up and myriad businesses affected by demands for Qatari nationals to leave the countries involved, and vice versa.
On Tuesday, credit ratings agency Moody’s downgraded Qatar’s economic outlook to negative as the diplomatic dispute continued to have economic effects.
“The likelihood of a prolonged period of uncertainty extending into 2018 has increased and a quick resolution of the dispute is unlikely over the next few months,“ a statement read.
Qatar has strongly denied all the allegations against it, and reacted with anger to its neighbours’ 13-point demands list, which included points such as closing down state-owned al Jazeera, paying restitutions and cutting off alleged links to Isis, Iran and the Muslim Brotherhood.
The Doha government had previously described the list as so far-reaching it appears intended to be rejected, adding that it was an “affront” to Qatar’s sovereignty. Nonetheless, it agreed to consider what it described as “legitimate” demands.
Qatar’s official response, being discussed at the Cairo meeting, has not yet been made public.
While some Arab media outlets have suggested a military confrontation or a change of leadership in Qatar could be in the offing, officials have said those options are not on the table.
Although further sanctions have been threatened if Doha does not capitulate, last week the UAE's foreign minister Anwar Gargash played down the chances of an escalation, saying “the alternative is not escalation but parting ways.” The comment was interpreted by many as suggesting Qatar may be forced out of the Gulf Cooperative Council (GCC), the regional political body which serves as a counterbalance to Iran.
News agencies contributed to this report
