18 Apr 2024
Tuesday 11 July 2017 - 16:09
Story Code : 267935

Will Qatar agree to shut down Turkish base amid threats of new sanctions?

Sputnik News- The Gulf diplomatic crisis reached a new round as the four Arab countries involved, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, threatened Qatar with new sanctions after Doha missed the deadline to meet their demands.

On June 23, the four countries handed an ultimatum toQatar, which contains a dozen ofdemands Doha must meet tosettle the dispute.

The 13-point list demanded that Qatar cut its ties withIran, close a Turkish military base onits soil and shut downAl Jazeera and its affiliates. Other demands called onDoha topublically denounce relations withIslamist groups, end suspected financing ofterrorism and hand overpersons designated asterrorists bySaudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.

In response, Doha described the demands as "unrealistic" and urged forthem tobe revised.

In a statement onFriday, the four countries warned that Dohas refusal toimplement the ultimatum untied their hands totake "economic, political and legal" measures they considered adequate.

Some experts believe that taking intoaccount Kuwaits mediating efforts Qatar could make certain concessions inorder tofind a compromise.
"Probably, Qatar is already making signals that it could make concessions toresolve the dispute. In particular, Doha may ask Ankara towithdraw Turkish troops fromits territory. Probably, this is why Ankara recently said that it would consider pulling outTurkish troops fromQatar only if Doha made such a request," Nuri Ye?ilyurt, political analyst atthe Ankara University, toldSputnik Turkey.


He stressed, this statement is not a step back bythe Turkish government and should be regarded asa sign ofAnkaras readiness tosupport Dohas efforts toreach a compromise and defuse the crisis.


Commenting onthe threat ofnew sanctions againstQatar, Ye?ilyurt underscored that the current blockade is negative only forQatar and this is why Dohas opponents do not want tocompromise.

"Theyre waiting forQatar toback away. They will continue their blockade untilQatar does so," he said.

At the same time, the analyst pointed outthat Qatar is ready fordialogue.
"Doha says that if implemented each ofthe 13 points ofthe ultimatum would breach its sovereignty. This is right. But Qatar is also showing its readiness tostart dialogue. Its policy is open fordialogue that would be mediated byKuwait. Doha has already indicated that it is ready fora compromise if the initial conditions are eased," Ye?ilyurt said.


Suggesting onthe possible concessions byDoha, the analyst said that Qatar may reduce criticism inthe Al-Jazeera coverage, expel certain members ofthe Muslim Brotherhood, share intelligence onradical groups and agree the withdrawal ofTurkish troops.

Last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reaffirmed Turkeys support forDoha, saying that "what is being done withQatar runs counter tointernational law." At the same time, the Turkish leader said that Ankara would close its military base inQatar if Doha made such a request.

Ye?ilyurt also said that the United States could play a role tohelp find a compromise inthe Qatar crisis. According tothe expert, Washingtons influence could "put the conflicting parties toa common denominator."
"If there is no progress made bythe US there is the risk oftightening the blockade againstQatar. Possibly, the situation may result indiscussing the suspension ofQatars membership inthe Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Turkey says it will try tohelp reach a compromise, butcurrently the US could play the leading role," Ye?ilyurt concluded.


On June 5, a number ofcountries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt, cut diplomatic ties withQatar and embargoed all sea, air and land traffic tothe country, accusing Doha ofsupporting terrorist groups, particularly the Muslim Brotherhood terrorist movement, aswell asof interfering inother countries' domestic affairs. Several other states inthe region have reduced diplomatic relations withthe country.


The Qatari Foreign Ministry rejected the accusations ofDoha's interference inother countries' domestic affairs.

Formally, the crisis was triggered aftera Qatari news agency published a statement ofQatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani calling forthe establishment ofrelations withIran and expressing support forthe Muslim Brotherhood.

Doha later said that the agency's website was hacked and there was no such statement fromthe Qatari leader. Nevertheless, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain did not accept the explanation. A number ofother states, including Turkey and Kuwait, have been engaged inmediating the crisis.
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