Arab states insist Qatar meet demands

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Four Arab states that cut ties with Qatar met Sunday to discuss the diplomatic crisis, insisting on compliance with a list of sweeping demands while refraining for now from imposing more punitive measures against the Gulf state.

It was the second meeting for the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain since the countries cut diplomatic ties and transport links with Qatar on June 5.

The quartet accuses Qatar of supporting extremists and interfering in the affairs of other Arab states. Qatar denies the charges and sees them as politically motivated.

Bahrain’s Foreign Minister read a statement by the ministers that said the bloc was still insistent that Qatar comply with a list of 13 demands the countries had previously issued.

The list includes demands that Qatar stop terrorism financing, but also that it shut down its flagship Al Jazeera news network, which the quartet says has been used by Qatar to promote its policies. Other demands include closing a Turkish military base in Qatar, limiting ties with Iran, expelling Islamist political opposition figures and paying restitution for victims of terrorism that the quartet links to Qatar.

Qatar rejects the list as an affront to its sovereignty, but it has vowed to combat terrorism financing and in recent weeks issued a decree revising the country’s counterterrorism laws.