Kuwait urges Arab states to extend Qatar demands deadline

Kuwait urged Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt to extend the deadline given to Qatar for response to a list of demands for another 48 hours, local media reported on Sunday.

According to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA), the move followed after Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah received Qatar’s Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani who handed the letter from Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani with Qatar's response to the list.

The four countries have agreed to extend the deadline, according to Al Arabiya TV network.

On June 5, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt broke off diplomatic relations and communication with Qatar, accusing it of supporting terrorism and interfering in their internal affairs. Later, the Maldives, Mauritius, and Mauritania also announced the severance of diplomatic relations. Jordan and Djibouti reduced the level of their diplomatic missions in Qatar.

Last week, Kuwait, which is serving as a mediator between Qatar and the Gulf States, handed the demands of Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain over to Doha. The requests include the severance of Qatar’s relations with Iran, closure of Turkey’s military base on Qatar's territory and a shutdown of the Al Jazeera TV channel. Doha was given 10 days to implement the demands, the deadline expired on Sunday.

Qatar has called the conditions impossible and urged for their revision.