Last day for completion of ultimatum list to Qatar by Blockade States.. What next?
10 days for the completion of the 13-item request list given by the Gulf States and Egypt to Qatar is to expire today. As Qatar is not expected to accept said list claiming there are violations of sovereignty rights, there are some possible steps that referred countries could take. On the other hand it is stated that the Qatar crisis has also created an important crack in the US administration as well. Qatar has reiterated that it is not to accept the list declared by referred states, to be fulfilled until July 3rd. Also, Qatar Foreign Minister stressed that they would not close the Turkish base which is among the demands in the list.
So the question is; “What could be the next step by the Gulf States and Egypt?”
According to the US and the Saudi press a “total and unexpected” step is not very likely to be taken by blockade states. Among the internationally highlighted scenarios, if Qatar does not meet the demands, there is a possibility that referred States could consider making the blockade permanent. A US journalist wrote on the other hand that the US made contacts with the United Arab Emirates to carry its air operations run from Qatar so far, to UAE. Qatar is currently home to the United States’ largest military base in the Middle East, Al Udeid.
It is commented by many experts that some of the items included in the list violate Qatar’s sovereignty rights severely. It was also commented earlier that in case Qatar did not accept to comply with the requests in the list the roads could be completely separated rather than an escalation of tension between parties. But in any case this country could have to face a permanent blockade to be implemented by referred States. Some comment the fact that Qatar is after lobbying on the global level with the target to establish pressure on Gulf States and Egypt will not be of much use and it only shows Qatar has not comprehended the reality of the situation.
On the other hand it was circulated in reports that a crack in the US administration about concerned crisis could be in question. It was reported that Trump’s uncompromising handling of the issue was not welcomed by Tillerson, US Secretary of State and several important European capitals. Moreover, Secretary of State who displayed a soft approach to resolve the crisis at the very beginning was also said to be angry at Trump due to his strong support for the blockade, on Twitter.
Tillerson is believed to be quite uncomfortable with the ‘influence’ of Yusuf al-Otaiba, the United Arab Emirates’s Washington Ambassador on the White House administration. The BAE ambassador, known as a “close friend” to Jared Kuschner, the son-in-law and consultant of US President Donald Trump, is said to have an important influence on Trump’s position
