GCC countries flags -File Photo
CAIRO- 10 July 2017: A leaked letter revealed that Qatar is ready to exit the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) within three days if the Arab countries' policy with it continues.
The letter, which was labeled as secret and leaked to the media, was sent by Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the GCC Secretary General Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani on Thursday.
Monday July 3 is the deadline of the given notice period, as per the letter.
Copy of the secret letter
On Friday Arab Egypt, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain said in a joint statement that the ultimatum that had been given to Qatar is now void, leading to further legal, political and economic measures against the government of Qatar.
“The Qatari government has purposely thwarted all diplomatic efforts to resolve the crisis and has rejected any settlements, reflecting its intention to continue with its destabilizing policies against the interests of the Qatari people,” the Arab quartet said in the joint statement.
They also condemned Qatar’s “lack of tact and respect” towards the Kuwaiti mediation, as it leaked the list of demands in an attempt to condemn the initiative to failure.
The “justified demands” come as a result of Qatar’s hostile practices and violations of the 2014 Riyadh Supplementary Agreement of which Doha is signatory, the statement said.
The four states added that Qatar has violated international conventions and norms; namely the charter of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and the United Nations, and the outcome of the Islamic-American summit of Riyadh, in which 55 Islamic countries and U.S. President Donald Trump participated.
The Qatari regime interferes in the internal affairs of the countries in the region, seeks to destabilize them to spread chaos and devastation, and funds internationally-designated terror groups, the statement continued.
Arab and Gulf countries, mainly Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain, severed their ties with Qatar on June 5, over accusations of supporting terrorist groups.
Kuwait tried to mediate a resumption of diplomatic and commercial ties between Qatar and several of its Arab neighbors.
The four countries have also sent Doha a list of 13 demands which must be met by Monday in order to end the standoff.
They also labeled 59 individuals and 12 organizations, with ties with Qatar, as terrorists, and had closed their airspace and maritime navigation for Qatari vessels early June.
Inforgraphic: Arab demands from Qatar
Excluding Qatar from the GCC has been on the sanctions’ list that the Arab Quartet may adopt to face the Qatar’s rejection to give up terrorism support.
On July 2 former head of Dubai’s General Security, Dhahi Khalfan, hinted that another emir will take over in Qatar in the case that current ruler Tamim bin Hamad’s regime does not acquiesce to the demands of Arab countries via his official Twitter account on Saturday.
“Decisiveness will be on July 3; either Qatar acquiesces to Arab countries’ demands or we will welcome another Qatari ruler,” Khalfan said on his Twitter account in reference to the time limit set by the Arab countries for the small Gulf nation to comply with their demands. He called on all companies working in Doha to choose between Qatar and the rest of Gulf countries.
Khalfan also warned the Qatari people of the danger that allowing Hamad bin Jassem, the former Qatari prime minister, to take over the emirate’s policies will lead to more chaos in Gulf region.
The former Emirati security chief ruled out starting a dialogue with Qatar if it rejects Arab countries’ demands on Monday, saying that the small Gulf nation works for the interest of Iran instead of its Arab brothers.
“Qatar gives up the security of the Gulf, by kneeling before Khomeini’s shrine,” Khalfan tweeted on Saturday, warning that Tamim will resort to training terrorist elements by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard to spread chaos throughout Gulf countries, “which is not abnormal, given Qatar’s history in harboring fugitive terrorists from all over the Arab world,” according to Khalfan.
“Qatar should not come back to Gulf arms before we see another ruler of Al-Thani at the head of the state,” Khalfan continued in another tweet. “Qatar’s foreign minister proposed Italy’s mediation; how can this be possible?!” he added.
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