Saudi Arabia has passed an ultimatum to neutral Gulf Cooperation Council member state Kuwait to be handed to the Qatari regime in an attempt to end the current crisis wherein Saudi Arabia has led a total boycott of Qatar along with the UAE, Egypt Bahrain, Libya’s House of Representatives, Yemen’s Hadi government and the Republic of Maldives.
Far from ending the crisis, this ultimatum will only prolong the disputes as the demands issued by Saudi are that of a victor to a vanquished foe in a war. In some cases the demands are even harsher than certain terms of peace after a military conflict. Put another way, it is unabashed colonialism.
The list has allegedly been seen by the AP and RT has reported on its unverified, but widely accepted contents.
Here is the full list of demands
1. REPARATIONS
The payment of reparations/compensation to Saudi, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE due to the “victims and loses” which have resulted from Qatar’s policies. The final sum is not specified.
Clearly the Saudis have not studied the history of Europe after the First World War where war reparations and a guilt clause forced on Germany played some part in fomenting the rise of fascism in Germany.
If anything, Saudi’s policies have created more “victims and loses” than those of Qatar. Again this is the pot calling the kettle black and using the widely discredited aggressive demand for reparations as part of a cynical ultimatum.
2. Don’t Have Good Relations With Iran
Qatar’s apparently warming relationship with Iran is one of the proximate causes of the Saudi led boycott of Doha. Many suspect that given the fact that Qatar’s ambition to build a gas pipeline to Turkey running through Syria is now dead in the water, that Qatar which shares the same natural gas field with Iran, may be working to supply gas to Turkey via Iran.
Saudi which has accused Qatar of meddling in other countries (a true allegation) is now meddling in Qatar’s internal affairs, telling Doha that it cannot develop good relations with Iran.
This is not only ridiculous but it goes against the principles of state sovereignty as defined by international law.
3. Kick Turkey Out
In yet another violation of the principles of international sovereignty, Saudi has demanded that Qatar kick out recently arrived Turkish troops. Saudi also demands that Qatar cease cooperating with Turkey militarily.
This is Qatar and Turkey’s right to cooperate if they want to. No foreign state has the right to dictate otherwise.
4. Shut Down Al Jazeera
Saudi has already taken state-run Qatari broadcaster Al Jazeera off air in Saudi and kicked out their staff from the country, but now Riyadh wants the broadcaster to go off air entirely–worldwide.
This is colonialism, nothing more.
5. Terrorism
Saudi demands that Qatar renounce and cut ties with terrorist groups including ISIS, Al-Qaeda/al-Nusra (both of which Saudi funds) as well as the Muslim Brotherhood and Hezbollah.
Hezbollah is not considered a terrorist group by most of the world, including in Lebanon where Hezbollah is based. Hezbollah is a political party with democratic representation in the Lebanese Parliament.
4. Stop Funding Terrorism
A cynical repeat of the previous demand
5. Hand Over Terrorists
Saudi demands that Qatar hands over terrorists harboured by Doah.
6. Interference In Other Nations
Saudi demands that Qatar does not interfere in the affairs of other countries.
Saudi’s entire list is one giant interference with the affairs of other nations (not just Qatar but also Iran and Turkey).
This one is truly laughable.
7. Have Peaceful Relations With Gulf Neighbours
This one really boils down to “do what I say or I’ll kill you”. A very poor Hollywood action-comedy springs to mind.
8. Other Media
In addition to shutting down Al Jazeera, Qatar must shut down all other media outlets it funds and/or owns.
9. Probation
Qatar must allow Saudi to audit Qatar’s action on these demands once every month for a year, every three months for the second year and once a year for ten years after that.
What planet is Saudi living on?
10. Opposition Leaders
Saudi demands that Qatar hand over all records indicating their support for opposition figures in foreign countries.
11. Citizenship
Do not give citizenship to individuals wanted for crimes by Saudi, UAE, Bahrain or Egypt
12. Individual Terrorists
Saudi demands that Qatar cease funding individual terrorists above and beyond the groups previously proscribed by Saudi.
13. Do All of This In 10 Days
Saudi demands that Qatar does all of the above in 10 days. No specific threat is issued in the event of non-compliance.
The aggregate effect of these demands is that Saudi wants Qatar to become its puppet state while grossly humiliating Qatar in the process.
This will simply not happen and Riyadh is utterly deluded to think otherwise.
The demands are not a list that comes from a responsible nation but instead one which is acting in a power-mad childish and aggressive manner.
The post 13 RIDICULOUS demands Saudi gives to Qatar in aggressive ultimatum appeared first on The Duran.
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