ARAB STATES: NOT SEEKING REGIME CHANGE

DUBAI: A top United Arab Emirates official on Saturday said the Arab countries isolating Qatar do not seek to force out the country’s leadership over allegations it supports extremist ideology but are willing to cut ties altogether if it does not agree to their demands.

Emirati minister of state for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash told reporters in Dubai that his country and its allies want a “behavioral change” in Qatar.

He described the Saudi-led Gulf Cooperation Council as being in crisis as a result of the standoff, and he referred to Qatar as a “Trojan horse” within the once close-knit group of Arab monarchies. “It’s very difficult for us to maintain a collective grouping with one of the partners ... actively promoting what is an extremist and terrorist agenda,” he said.

and air routes indefinitely, as economic pressure mounts on Qatar.

“This reflects basically an attempt from these countries to suppress free media and also undermine our sovereignty,” said Al Thani. “They are trying to impose their views on how the issues need to be dealt with in the Middle East.”

“They are bullies,” he added.