Global Geo-political Series: Gulf deadline ends without solution as Qatar remains defiant

On Sunday, the given deadline to Qatar by other Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain to fulfill a list of demands expired without any solution as Qatar remained defiant over the demands but signaled openness to talks. Here are the details of those demands,

• Iran: Lower representation with Iran, close attaches, IRGC and elements affiliated should leave Qatar. Limit cooperation to trade without violating either US and US sanctions or GCC security. Cut military and Intel cooperation with Iran.
• Turkey: Shot down Turkey base that was recently established, stop cooperation with Turkey military inside Qatar territory.
• Terrorism: Qatar declares that it cuts relations all terrorist, sectarian, and ideological groups, on top of them Muslim Brotherhood, ISIS, Qaeda, Fateh Sham (Nusra), Hezbollah.
• Funding: Stop all Qatar funding of any kind to terrorist or extremist individuals, entities or organizations.
• Designations: Qatar hands all those terrorist designated and those requested by four countries (who wrote demands) and terrorist elements on US and International lists, freeze their assets, and don’t harbor more elements in future, offer Intel on members especially related to movement, finances.
• Al-Jazeera: Shut down Al-Jazeera channel and offshoots.
• Interference: Stop interfering other countries’ domestic affairs. Don’t grant citizenship to anyone from 4 countries (who wrote demands), strip citizenship from those that have been granted who violates law of these countries. Cut relations with opposition elements in these countries and hand over relevant files.
• Compensation: Give compensations to victims and losses on 4 countries because of Qatar policy in last few years. Agreement would decide mechanism.
• Riyadh agreement: Qatar commits to be harmonious with its Gulf and Arab surroundings on all levels (militarily, politically, economically, socially), in a way that respects Gulf and Arab security and active Riyadh agreement from 2013 and the second Riyadh agreement in 2014.
• Opposition: Qatar hands over records/data on opposition they supported and kind of support they received.
• Media: Shut down all media supported by Qatar directly or indirectly (for example Arab 21, Rasd, Araby Jadid/new Arab, Sharq, Middle East eye, etc….these are examples not exclusive)
• Time Frame: All these demands have to be agreed in 10 days or will be voided.
• Reports: Agreement will have clear goals and mechanism and will be followed up with periodic reports, monthly for first year, every 3 months for second year and once every year for next 10 years.

So far, as many as nine Muslim-dominated countries including those named above have severed diplomatic as well as military ties with Qatar. Both Qatar and the United States indicated that some of the demands made would be very difficult for Qatar to meet. Qatar said that it cannot fulfill some of the demands like the third point on ‘terrorism’ as Qatar has no ties with such extremist groups. It said that it also can’t expel Iran’s revolutionary guards from Qatar as there are none at the moment.

While the Gulf countries didn’t elaborate on the consequences of not meeting the demands, it was expected that the list was a hard line starting positions for the upcoming talks to resolve the issue.