'Shut down Al Jazeera' and other Saudi demands are not 'reasonable,' says Qatar

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Qatar on Saturday confirmed it had received a 13-point list of demands from Saudi-led allies in a major escalation of the ongoing diplomatic crisis in the Gulf.

The list -- which apparently includes a call for Qatar to close down broadcaster Al Jazeera -- are the demands that Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt want met to end a diplomatic and trade "blockade" of Qatar, lasting almost three weeks.

"This list of demands confirms what Qatar has said from the beginning – the illegal blockade has nothing to do with combating terrorism, it is about limiting Qatar's sovereignty, and outsourcing our foreign policy," said Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed Al Thani, director of the Qatari government's communications office, in a statement.

A general view of the Qatari side of the Abu Samrah border crossing with Saudi Arabia on June 23, 2017. /VCG Photo

"The US Secretary of State recently called upon the blockading nations to produce a list of grievances that was 'reasonable and actionable'. The British Foreign Secretary asked that the demands be 'measured and realistic.' This list does not satisfy that criteria," added the statement.

Qatar says it is reviewing the demands and is preparing an official response.

As well as the closure of Al Jazeera, a long-standing source of conflict between Doha and neighboring countries which accuse it of fomenting regional strife, the wide-reaching list makes other demands on Qatar.

These include calls for Doha to cut any ties to groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, the ISIL, Al Qaeda and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.

Qatar has also been asked to hand over opposition figures wanted by its three neighbors and Egypt, downgrade diplomatic ties with Iran and shut a Turkish military base in the emirate.

Al Jazeera has denounced the move as an attack on media freedom.

UAE state minister for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, poses for a picture during an interview with in his office in Dubai on June 7, 2017. /VCG Photo

However, Anwar Gargash, the UAE's state minister for foreign affairs, who is due to hold a press conference on Saturday, said Qatar should cede to the demands.

"It would be wiser that (Qatar) deal seriously with the demands and concerns of the neighbors or a divorce will take place," he wrote on Twitter.

The demands confirm that "the crisis is profound," Gargash added.

The list of demands was given to Qatar by Kuwait, which is acting as a mediator in the dispute, the worst diplomatic crisis to hit the region in years.

A statement from Kuwait's state-run KUNA agency said Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad Al-Sabah had also held calls with the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE on Friday as the diplomatic push continued.

This file photo taken on December 06, 2016 shows Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani attending a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in the Bahraini capital Manama. /VCG Photo

Qatar is the world's leading exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and hosts the biggest American airbase in the Middle East.

Gargash accused Qatar of leaking the document containing the demands by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, which cut diplomatic ties and accused Qatar of sponsoring terrorism.

Qatar strongly denies such charges.

(Source: AFP)

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