Arab nations: No bias against US firms

DUBAI: Four Arab countries that imposed sanctions on Qatar have told the United States that US companies doing business with them would not be punished for also working with Doha, said sources with knowledge of the matter.

Foreign firms have become increasingly cautious on their cross-border dealings over concerns they could fall foul of the region’s biggest diplomatic crisis in years.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain sent a letter to US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last month reassuring him that US companies would not be discriminated against as part of the boycott, according to sources.

The European Union had been given similar “official... verbal assurances” by the UAE, said the EU delegation to the UAE.

The four Arab countries cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar on June 5. Reuters