Anti-Qatar bloc meets with U.S. envoy, no breakthrough in sight
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson wrapped up talks with the king of Saudi Arabia and other officials from Arab countries lined up against Qatar on Wednesday with no sign of a breakthrough in an increasingly entrenched dispute that has divided some of America’s most important Mideast allies.
The secretary of state’s trip from Kuwait to the western Saudi city of Jiddah followed discussions the previous day with the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, that ended with the signing of a counter terrorism pa ct.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain severed relations with Qatar and cut air, sea and land routes with it over a month ago, accusing Doha of supporting extremist groups. Qatar denies the allegations.
The quartet has given no indication it would be willing to back off from its hardnosed stance. Just hours before Mr. Tillerson’s arrival in Jiddah, the four Arab states said the counterterrorism deal that Qatar signed with him on Tuesday was “not enough” to ease their concerns.
Officials gave little indication of what was discussed, but Mr. Tillerson was likely to press the bloc to ease up on some of its demands after he secured the deal for Qatar to intensify its fight against terrorism and address shortfalls in policing terrorism funding.
He is expected to travel back to Qatar on Thursday formore talks.
Trump loves parades
President Donald Trump was not expected to attend France’s Bastille Day, which this year will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War I.
But then he learned there would be a military parade. Mr. Trump on June 27 told French President Emmanuel Macron he would be there, according to a White House official, and French and U.S. officials rushed to schedule a last-minute trip that will last roughly 27 hours and include dinner at an opulent restaurant in the Eiffel Tower and a visit to Napoleon Bonaparte’s tomb.
Amnesty report on Mosul
The U.S.-led coalition said Wednesday that an Amnesty International report accusing its forces of violating international law during the fight against the Islamic State group in Mosul during which 5,805 civilians may have been killed is “irresponsible.”
Ailing Liu Xiaobo
The Trump administration called on the Chinese government to allow ailing rights advocate and Nobel laureate Liu Xiaobo to seek cancer treatment outside of China and to release his wife from house arrest.