UAE, Saudi and allies: Qatar's non-compliance a sign of its willingness to intentionally hurt its own citizens

Rejection of demands also "reflects its intention to continue its policy aimed at destabilising security in the region"

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed, The UAE Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, right, the Saudi foreign minister Adel Al Jubeir, left, an the Bahrain foreign minister Khalid bin AhmedShow more

The UAE, Saudi Arabia and its allies on Friday said that Qatar's refusal to accept their conditions to end the Gulf's biggest diplomatic crisis in years showed its willingness to intentionally harm the interests of the people of the region including its own citizens.

Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain said Qatar's rejection of a list of 13 demands they set to lift sanctions on Doha "reflect Qatar's connections to the terrorist group and that it continuous its quest to undermine security and stability in the Gulf and the region," according to a joint statement carried by WAM news agency.

They confirmed that the demands are now off the table in accordance with the original conditions and while the statement did not specify what further sanctions may be imposed on Qatar, the allies said they "will take all necessary political, economic and legal measures as seen appropriate and in timely manner" to protect their interests.

The four countries also emphasised that the Qatari people remain an integral part of the Gulf and Arab communities and that their actions were aimed at correcting Qatar's course and at avoiding the destabilisation of the region and the break up of the GCC.

The statement in full from WAM:

"Pursuant to the statement released on 5th of July 2017, The United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Arab Republic of Egypt affirm that the obstinacy of the Qatari Government and their rejection of the demands submitted by the four countries, reflect Qatar's connections to the terrorist group and that it continuous its quest to undermine security and stability in the Gulf and the region and to intentionally harm the interests of the peoples of the region, including the Qatari people.

The four countries stress that the Government of Qatar worked to thwart all diplomatic endeavours and efforts to resolve the issue, showing its obstinacy and refusal to ant settlement, which again reflects its intention to continue its policy that is aimed at destabilising and undermining the security of the region, contrary to the aspirations and interest of the brotherly people of Qatar.

The four countries express their thanks and appreciation to His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, Emir of the State of Kuwait, for his efforts and endeavor to resolve the crisis with the Government of Qatar, as part of his keenness on the unity of the Arab ranks.

The four countries also express their resentment to the lack of decency and respect for the diplomatic principles expressed by the Qatari government towards the Kuwaiti efforts, which leaked the list of demands, in order to thwart the efforts of the sisterly State of Kuwait and to return the crisis to the starting point, in a clear disregard for all diplomatic norms and respect of the mediator, and to respond to it in a familiar contexts, not through the media.

The four countries affirm that the justified demands came as a result to the hostile practices of the Qatar Government and its ongoing violation of commitments, especially the Riyadh Agreement, signed by Qatar in 2013, and its supplementary arrangement and executive mechanism in 2014.

While surprised by Qatar's unjustified rejection of the legitimate and reasonable demands, aimed at fighting terrorism, preventing its sponsoring and combating extremism in all its forms in order to achieve global peace and to maintain Arab and international security, the four countries emphasise that the 12th point of the list states: Agree to all the demands within 10 days of it being submitted to Qatar, or the list becomes invalid. The document doesn't specify what the countries will do if Qatar refuses to comply. The four countries will take all necessary political, economic and legal measures as seen appropriate and in timely manner, in a way that will serve their rights, maintain their security and stability and protect their interests from the Qatari Government's hostile policies.

The four countries further emphasise that such demands are aimed at fighting terrorism, preventing its sponsoring and combating extremism in all its forms in order to achieve global peace and to maintain Arab and international security.

The four countries also emphasized that the Qatari people are an integral part of the Gulf and Arab system. The measures taken by the four countries are directed at the Qatari government to correct its course, which seeks to break up the GCC system and Arab and international security, destabilize the countries of the region and interfere in their affairs.

Sovereignty guaranteed by international law in accordance with the Statute of the States of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Charter of the League of Arab States, the Charter of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Charter of the United Nations and the norms of relations between States, all stipulate not to interfere in the internal affairs of the states of the region or to destabilize their security and stability, with the aim of spreading chaos and destruction, undermining their internal security, supporting and financing regional and international organizations as terrorist entities, in a flagrant violation of international law and the outcomes of the American-Islamic Summit held in Riyadh in the presence of 55 Islamic countries, the United States of America, represented by President Donald Trump, the presence and approval of all countries of the historic summit outcomes, including the Government of Qatar."

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