Dammam, Dubai– UAE said on Wednesday that no compromise with Qatar would come anytime soon announcing that it may be time to go on without Qatar.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash announced that the crisis with Qatar would likely continue for “a while” and “new regional relationships would form in the meantime.”
In a series of tweets on his official account, Gargash stated: “We have to go on without Qatar; a conservative Gulf monarchy, in totally anachronistic place. Promoting policies & values it does not practice.”
He declared that Anti-Terror Quartet (ATQ) comprising Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt will continue to confront extremism and terrorism and work for Arab security and stability, adding that suddenly, the fight against terrorism, sovereignty, and non-interference have become national priorities for Qatar.
“We would love to believe this new media discourse, but the country’s record is right in front of us, replete with tragedies,” Gargash posted on Twitter.
“Qatar’s self-victimization statements are staggering and the lack of sense of responsibility is completely absent. They want the impression that the four countries have taken action because the region needs more tension,” he tweeted.
Gargash came a day after ATQ added nine entities and nine individuals to their list of terrorist groups, which they said have direct or indirect ties with Qatari authorities.
Also on Wednesday, a number of lawyers from the quartet came together in Cairo to form a committee charged with suing countries funding terrorist attacks in order to compensate the families of victims, according to UAE state news agency Wam.
UAE Central Bank issued a general statement to all banks and financial institutions to search for and freeze any accounts, deposits or investments belonging to persons and entities listed by ATQ.
The bank said in a statement that the orders come within the framework of the efforts of UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt in the fight against terrorism, and their ongoing efforts to update the lists issued in their countries with the names of entities and individuals listed for terrorism.
Foreign ministers of the quartet are expected to hold a meeting in Bahrain capital, Manama, where the countries will discuss what their next steps will be.
In response to the updated list, Qatar said on Wednesday a decision by four Arab states to add 18 groups and individuals allegedly linked to Doha to their terrorist lists was “a disappointing surprise” and that it was doing all it could to fight extremism.
“(The new list) comes as a disappointing surprise that the blockading countries are still pursuing this story as part of their smear campaign against Qatar,” Sheikh Saif Bin Ahmed al-Thani, director of the Gulf kingdom’s Government Communications Office.
“This latest list provides further evidence that the blockading countries are not committed to the fight against terrorism. As we have previously stated, all individuals with links to terrorism in Qatar have been prosecuted,” added Thani.
Thani confirmed that Qatar constantly reviews its anti-terror laws to remain on the front foot in the fight against extremism and terror financing.