Gulf chasm set to increase

Saudi-led bloc is considering fresh sanctions against Qatar: UAE envoy to Russia

Abu Dhabi, June 28: A Saudi-led bloc is considering fresh sanctions against Qatar that may include asking trading partners to choose between them or Doha, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) ambassador to Russia said.

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, envoy Omar Ghobash said the expulsion of Qatar from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was “not the only sanction available” for the UAE and its allies.

“There are certain economic sanctions that we can take which are being considered right now,” Mr Ghobash said in the interview, which was published on Wednesday.

“One possibility would be to impose conditions on our own trading partners and say: you want to work with us then you have got to make a commercial choice,” he added.

Meanwhile, Saudi foreign minister Adel alJubeir said that there would be no negotiations over demands by the kingdom and other Arab states for Qatar to stop supporting terrorism.

Doha retorted that the allegations against it and demands were baseless and unacceptable. Qatar has previously also said the demands were aimed at curbing its sovereignty.

Asked by reporters on a visit to Washington if the demands were non-negotiable, Saudi’s Jubeir said: “Yes.” “We made our point, we took our steps and it’s up to the Qataris to amend their behaviour and once they do things will be worked out but if they don’t they will remain isolated,” Jubeir said.

If Qatar wanted to return to the Gulf Cooperation Council fold, “they know what they have to do,” he said.

Saudi, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut off ties with

Doha slams Riyadh refusal to negotiate

Doha, June 28: Qatar on Wednesday condemned Saudi Arabia’s refusal to negotiate the demands of the kingdom and its allies for ending a crippling embargo on the emirate.

Speaking from Washington, where he held talks with US secretary of state Rex Tillerson on Tuesday, Qatari foreign minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said the Saudi position was unacceptable.

“This is contrary to the principles that govern international relations because you can’t just present lists of demands and refuse to negotiate,” Sheikh Mohammed said in comments published in Doha. His Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir, who is also in Washington, was unbudging on Tuesday over the three-week-old dispute, which has left Qatar, a US ally, isolated under a trade and diplomatic embargo set by its Gulf Arab neighbours.