Diplomatic fix eyed for Qatar impasse

Saudi Arabia and its allies want to resolve their standoff with Qatar through diplomacy and don’t seek regime change, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash said at a press conference in Dubai.

“There is no intention for any sort of escalation,” Gargash said Saturday when asked about military intervention against Qatar if negotiations fail to end the impasse. “This is not about regime change, this is about behavioral change.”

The Saudi-led bloc presented Qatar with a list of steep demands to end the crisis that has roiled the Gulf Cooperation Council. The 13 requirements include shutting the Al-Jazeera TV network, cutting back diplomatic ties with Iran, severing relations with the Muslim Brotherhood and ending Turkey’s military presence in Qatar, according to a Gulf official who confirmed the veracity of the document.

Qatar has 10 days to respond.