QATAR: After 10 Days Ultimatum, Qatar Given Another 48 Hours To Accept Demands By Arab Countries

Foreign ministers of nations boycotting Qatar will meet in Cairo on Wednesday to discuss their next steps.

Saudi Arabia and three allies boycotting Qatar have agreed to a request by Kuwait to extend by 48 hours Sunday's deadline for Doha to comply with a set of demands, according to a joint statement on Saudi state news agency SPA.

Kuwait had received a response by Qatar to a list of 13 demands presented to it by a Saudi-led bloc of Arab countries, Kuwait's state news agency KUNA said on Monday.

Without stating whether Qatar had rejected the ultimatum as was widely expected, Kuwait's Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah asked Saudi Arabia and three other countries that have boycotted Qatar to grant it a 48-hour extension.

Kuwait is mediating in the crisis.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed sanctions on it on June 5, accusing it of supporting "terrorism". The allegation is rejected by Qatar.

After more than two weeks, the four countries gave Qatar a 10-day ultimatum, which expired on Sunday night, to comply with a 13-point demand list in exchange for the end of the anti-Qatar measures.

There was no other information about Qatar's official response, but the Qatari foreign minister has already said that Qatar would not meet the demands, saying the list was meant to be rejected.

Speaking on Saturday, the foreign minister said Qatar offered instead a proper condition for a dialogue to resolve the Gulf crisis.

Everyone is aware that these demands are meant to infringe the sovereignty of the state of Qatar, shut the freedom of speech and impose auditing and probation mechanism for Qatar, he said during a visit to Rome.

We believe that the world is not governed by ultimatums, we believe that the world is governed by the international law, it is governed by an order that does not allow large countries to bully small countries.

Saudi Arabia and its allies have insisted the demands were non-negotiable.

The foreign ministers of the four countries will meet on Wednesday in Egypt's capital, Cairo, to discuss their next steps, according to a statement by the Egyptian foreign ministry.

The UAE ambassador to Russia, Omar Ghobash, has previously said that Qatar could face fresh sanctions if it does not comply with the demands.

The demands submitted by the Arab neighbours included that Qatar shut down the Al Jazeera network, close a Turkish military base and scale down ties with Iran.

In the list, the four Arab countries also demand that Qatar sever all alleged ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and other groups, including Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and ISIS, and pay an unspecified sum in compensation for what they claimed to be loss of life and other financial losses caused by Qatar's policies.

A US state department official said on Sunday that Washington encourages all parties to exercise restraint to allow for productive diplomatic discussions. We are not going to get ahead of those discussions. We fully support Kuwaiti mediation.

Saudi Arabia has reiterated that its demands to Qatar to end the standoff in the Gulf were non-negotiable.

Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi foreign minister, said on Twitter on Saturday that demands on Qatar to stop funding terrorism are non-negotiable.

Restrictions on Qatar show zero tolerance for terrorism, Jubeir said, claiming that Qatar had failed to keep previous pledges of stopping funding terrorism and interfering in other countries' affairs. Qatar denies all allegations.

Jubeir made a similar statement last week in Washington, DC, when asked by reporters if the 13 point list of demands that are widely denounced as unrealistic was non-negotiable.

We made our point, we took our steps and it's up to the Qataris to amend their behaviour and once they do, things will be worked out, but if they don't they will remain isolated, he said.

The demands issued with a 10-day deadline last week include downgrading ties with Iran, shutting down Al Jazeera Media Network and Turkish military base in Doha.

The exact time of the deadline was not discussed but it is expected to become void at the end of the ten day ultimatum.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed sanctions on the country on June 5, accusing it of supporting terrorism.

The four Arab countries have not provided any evidence for their claim.

On Friday, Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani asked members of UN's Security Council to urge a Saudi-led bloc of states to lift their blockade on the Gulf country.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries that have cut ties to Qatar have reportedly issued a list of demands to end a major Gulf crisis, insisting that Qatar shut down the Al Jazeera network, close a Turkish military base and scale down ties with Iran.

In the 13-point list, the countries also demand that Qatar sever all alleged ties with the Muslim Brotherhood and with other groups, including Hezbollah, al-Qaeda and ISIS.

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the UAE and Bahrain cut ties to Qatar this month over allegations that the country funds terrorism,an accusation that Qatar denies.

According to the list, Qatar must refuse to naturalise citizens from the four countries and revoke Qatari citizenship for existing nationals where such citizenship violates those countries' laws.

Earlier this week, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson insisted that Qatar's neighbours provide a list of demands that was reasonable and actionable.

About Iran,Qatar must shut down diplomatic posts in Iran, expel any members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, and only conduct trade and commerce with Iran that complies with US sanctions.

On Al Jazeera state that Qatar must also shut down all affiliates and other news outlets that Qatar funds, including Arabi21, Rassd, Al Araby Al Jadeed and Middle East Eye.

If Qatar agrees to comply, the list asserts that it will be audited once a month for the first year, and then once per quarter in the second year after it takes effect.

For the following 10 years, Qatar would be monitored annually for compliance.

The document does not specify what the countries will do if Qatar refuses to comply.

Demands imposed on Qatar

- Scale down diplomatic ties with Iran and close the Iranian diplomatic missions in Qatar, expel members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard and cut off military and intelligence cooperation with Iran. Trade and commerce with Iran must comply with US and international sanctions in a manner that does not jeopardise the security of the Gulf Cooperation Council.

- Immediately shut down the Turkish military base, which is currently under construction, and halt military cooperation with Turkey inside of Qatar.

- Sever ties to all terrorist, sectarian and ideological organisations, specifically the Muslim Brotherhood, ISIL, al-Qaeda, Fateh al-Sham formerly known as the Nusra Front and Lebanon's Hezbollah. Formally declare these entities as terror groups as per the list announced by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, UAE and Egypt, and concur with all future updates of this list.

- Stop all means of funding for individuals, groups or organisations that have been designated as terrorists by Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain, US and other countries.

- Hand over terrorist figures, fugitives and wanted individuals from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain to their countries of origin. Freeze their assets, and provide any desired information about their residency, movements and finances.

- Shut down Al Jazeera and its affiliate stations.

- End interference in sovereign countries' internal affairs. Stop granting citizenship to wanted nationals from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt and Bahrain. Revoke Qatari citizenship for nationals where such citizenship violates those countries' laws.

- Pay reparations and compensation for loss of life and other financial losses caused by Qatar's policies in recent years. The sum will be determined in coordination with Qatar.

- Align Qatar's military, political, social and economic policies with the other Gulf and Arab countries, as well as on economic matters, as per the 2014 agreement reached with Saudi Arabia.

- Cease contact with the political opposition in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain. Hand over files detailing Qatar’s prior contact with and support for opposition groups, and submit details of their personal information and the support Qatar has provided them.

- Shut down all news outlets funded directly and indirectly by Qatar, including Arabi21, Rassd, Al Araby Al Jadeed, Mekameleen and Middle East Eye, etc.

- Agree to all the demands within 10 days of list being submitted to Qatar, or the list will become invalid.

- Consent to monthly compliance audits in the first year after agreeing to the demands, followed by quarterly audits in the second year, and annual audits in the following 10 years.

Fikri Isik, Turkey's defence minister, said his country had no plans to review its military base in Qatar and that any demand for its closure would represent interference in the country's relations with the Gulf state.

Isik said that he had not yet seen a demand for the base to be shut.

The base in Qatar is both a Turkish base and one that will preserve the security of Qatar and the region, Isik said.

Re-evaluating the base agreement with Qatar is not on our agenda.

Al Jazeera's Hashem Ahelbarra said the list will be rejected by Qatar.

Qatar has said it will only look into the demands once the sanctions are lifted, he said, adding that Qatar had already said that closing Al Jazeera was off the table.

It is a matter of national sovereignty. Anything that is presented to the Qataris which it considers to be interference in its internal affairs is going to be dismissed, Ahelbarra said.

Just yesterday the general sentiment we had was that perhaps the international community and GCC will turn toward restoring ties. But at this particular moment, I believe that there will be further escalation, mounting tension because of these demands.

To ask for compensation, you have to have the Qatari government say;Sorry, I've made mistakes, and look into every single instance where Qataris made mistakes.

This is unprecedented in the Arab world. What if the Qataris say the Saudis have to pay compensation for every single civilian killed or innocent life taken all over the world. This is really surreal, Ahelbarra added.



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QATAR: Eid Al-Fitr Holiday To Begin On June 25th

The Eid Al-Fitr holiday will begin on Sunday (June 25), which means tomorrow will be the last working day for public sector employees before the break, the Emiri Diwan has announced.

Ministries, government departments and other public entities will be closed for 11 days including weekends, in line with previous years.

They will re-open on Tuesday, July 4.

The exact date of Eid has yet to be announced, pending the sighting of the new moon, but it is expected to begin on Sunday, June 25.

Eid Al Fitr is the festival that marks the end of Ramadan and is usually celebrated with a morning prayer, and family events in malls and public spaces around town later on in the day and evening.

Employees working for private companies typically get around three days’ holiday for this Eid.

However, with shops, cafes and restaurants open throughout the break, service sector staff may be expected to work.

The governor of Qatar Central Bank will set the holidays for those working in Qatar’s financial sector – including QCB staff, QCB-supervised financial institutions and employees of Qatar Financial Markets Authority.

What are you planing for the Eid holiday?

QATAR: Mondrian Doha Opening September 2017, US $240 Per Room

Mondrian Doha has confirmed it will have a soft opening in Q2 2017, marking its debut in the Middle East.

The 270-room property designed in collaboration with Marcel Wanders is set to feature eight restaurants and bars, and will have its grand opening in September 2017 after the Q2 soft launch, with room rates set to start from US $240.

Guests can choose from five room categories including penthouse suites, studio suites, one and two bedroom suites and a range of standard guestrooms.

Sam Nazarian, founder & CEO, sbe (which acquired Morgans Hotel Group) commented in a press statement: We are delighted to open our first hotel in the Middle East in Doha, Qatar which is one of the most dynamic cities in the region.

We’re additionally set to open two more hotel properties in Dubai in 2017 and 2018 and a number of restaurants.

I know that Mondrian Doha will be an incredible destination for international and local travellers alike. It will be also a fantastic destination for the locals to experience all our culinary venues.

The hotel will incorporate bespoke Marcel Wanders design features with influences from local patterns, ornate Arabic writing and historic souks.

Standout elements include giant columns with golden eggs, a ‘tree of life’ comprising flowers, falcon video art, giant shisha, patterned carpets, ornate stained glass and intricate mosaic tiling.

Structurally, the building of Mondrian Doha is shaped like a falcon, with many references to the national bird of Qatar also found inside; from paintings and portraits to falcon headpieces and ornaments.

There will also be a stained glass dome skylight on the 27th floor, along with a four-level high spiral staircase which leads guests up to a viewing platform.

The location of the hotel next to Lagoona Mall in the West Bay area also acts as a gateway to the new Lusail City development.

The eight restaurants and bars include a partership with Wolfgang Puck, bringing his concept Cut by Wolfgang Puck to Qatar for the first time.

Japanese Chef Masaharu Morimoto is set to introduce Morimoto Doha - the first eponymous Morimoto outpost to open in the Middle East. Moreover, the hotel will host a Magnolia Bakery located in the lobby, and a number of other concepts including a Qatari restaurant and a burger restaurant, cigar lounge and shisha terrace.

Mondrian Doha will also offer an ESPA spa, with over 2,000m2 sqm of space. Features include separate areas for men and women, 11 treatment rooms, a 'spa within the spa' and hammam facilities as well as specialised areas for disabled guests.

The property offers a grand and spacious wedding and multi-purpose ballroom with over 2,000m2, that can hold up to 1,500 guests.

The ballroom has ornate plaster ceiling domes with crystal chandeliers, as well as a hidden VIP Bridal suite with 15 metre high columns, and a grand staircase entrance.

Mondrian Doha also has a standalone meeting floor with meeting and conference facilities.

Mondrian Doha has confirmed that it will have additional hotel facilities including an entertainment floor complete with a nightclub, an indoor pool and skybar, plus a flower and retail store.

QATAR: Emirates And Etihad Gain From Gulf Airspace Shut On Qatar

Besieged by a lack of airspace after being shut out of neighbouring Gulf countries last week, Qatar Airways is having to take unsustainably long routes to continue on long-haul network commitments.

Flight radar graphics show its B777s enroute to Sao Paolo stopping in Athens because they can’t carry enough fuel to fly nearly 17 hours in a single trip; the airline now needs to bear Northwest, deep into Iran before crossing into Europe.

Challenging for the Doha-based airline will be the loss of nearly 52 Gulf flights every week, accounting for 30 percent of its revenue.

The airline derives 18 percent of its capacity from feeder markets in the UAE, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, before ferrying them to long-haul destinations throughout its network.

For an industry that celebrates when it manages a profit margin of 7 percent over costs, the weekly loss of contribution puts it at a big disadvantage compared to Emirates’ and Etihad’s gain as they look to recoup traffic from home markets looking for shorter long-haul flights which Qatar was expanding aggressively on.

Until March, Qatar Airways’ traffic to the US was growing at 45.6% compared to Emirates’ 15.4% and Etihad’s 6.6%.

The laptop ban derailed that growth.

Emirates–which reported an 84% loss in revenue this year–has yet to find routes for the 13 airlines it has pulled from US routes.

If we do not find homes for them, we’ll put them on the ground,CEO Clark had earlier said.

Etihad, beleaguered after souring investments in struggling European carriers, will also be grateful about retaining its crucial top-tier service advantage which Qatar Airways was bent on under cutting.

Among the airline’s more promising investments was its stake in Indian Airline Jet Airways–an airline that had been growing increasingly mortified at the prospect of Qatar Airways’ impending investment in the country following India’s relaxation of foreign direct investment airline rules.

QATAR: India Advisory To Indians In Doha

The Indian Embassy in Qatar has issued an advisory assuring the Indian citizens in the peninsula.

The advisory states: The Embassy of India is monitoring the situation closely and is in touch with the Qatari authorities to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in Qatar.

It stressed that there was nothing for Indian citizens in Qatar to worry about.

EMBASSY OF INDIA

DOHA
***
ADVISORY FOR INDIAN NATIONALS IN QATAR

On 5th June 2017, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt announced that they were cutting diplomatic relations with the State of Qatar, along with closure of air/sea/land travel links with the State of Qatar.

These countries also have ordered their citizens to leave Qatar, in addition to ordering Qatari citizens to leave their territories. Subsequently Maldives, Yemen, Mauritius, Mauritania and Jordan took similar steps.

Air connectivity provided by several airlines between these countries has been disrupted, as a result of cancellation of a number of flights.

The airlines concerned have reportedly offered refunds for tickets booked on these cancelled flights. Indian travelers are, therefore, requested to contact their travel providers for advice on modifications to their travel arrangements and also remain alert to further developments.

The Embassy of India is monitoring the situation closely and is in touch with the Qatari authorities to ensure the safety and security of Indian nationals in Qatar.

The Qatari authorities have conveyed that they will take all necessary steps to ensure that normal life, including supplies of food items, is not affected.

There is nothing happening in the region that suggests any threat to the physical safety and security of residents in Qatar.

Please update yourself of the latest news and do not believe in rumours without cross-checking facts. The Embassy will be providing updates on its Twitter handle [@IndEmbDoha] from time to time as required.

The Embassy of India, Doha, located at Villa Nos. 86 & 90, Street No. 941, Al Eithra Steet, Zone-63, Onaiza, Doha, can be reached through any of the following:

Email: labour.doha@mea.gov.in

Tel. No. during Office hours: 44255777

Tel. No. after Office hours: 55575086

Indian Cultural Centre (ICC): 50536234

Indian Community Benevolent Forum (ICBF): 55512810, 55532367, 55342708

QATAR: Qatar Desparately Begs Kuwait To Mediate Gulf Crisis

Kuwait is trying to mediate a Gulf crisis in which Arab countries have cut diplomatic ties to Qatar and moved to isolate the energy-rich travel hub from the outside world, Qatar's foreign minister said early Tuesday.

The biggest diplomatic crisis in the Persian Gulf since the 1991 U.S.-led war against Iraq pits several nations against Qatar, which is home to some 10,000 American troops and a major U.S. military base.

Airlines suspended flights and residents nervous about the peninsula's lone land border closing cleaned out grocery store shelves.

In an interview with Doha-based satellite news network Al-Jazeera, Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed Bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Kuwait's ruler had asked Qatar's ruling emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to hold off on giving a speech about the crisis late Monday night.

He received a call from the emir of Kuwait asking him to postpone it in order to give time to solve the crisis, Sheikh Mohammed said.

Still, the minister struck a defiant tone, rejecting those trying to impose their will on Qatar or intervene in its internal affairs.

Kuwaiti ruler Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah spoke with Qatar's emir Monday evening and urged him to give a chance to efforts that could ease tensions.

The call came after a senior Saudi royal arrived in Kuwait with a message from the Saudi king. An Omani diplomat traveled to Qatar on Monday.

Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates announced Monday they would cut diplomatic ties.

Yemen's internationally backed government, which has lost the capital and large portions of the war-torn country, also cut relations with Qatar, as did the Maldives and one of conflict-ridden Libya's competing governments.

Saudi Arabia and other Arab powers severed diplomatic ties Monday with Qatar and moved to isolate the energy-rich nation that is home to a major U.S. military base, accusing it of supporting terrorist groups and backing Iran.

The move came just two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump visited Saudi Arabia and vowed to improve ties with both Riyadh and Cairo to combat terrorism and contain Iran. U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said the move was rooted in longstanding differences and urged the parties to resolve them.

Soccer's governing body FIFA said it remained in regular contact with Qatar, which will host the 2022 World Cup. It did not elaborate.

Saudi Arabia said it was cutting ties due to Qatar's embrace of various terrorist and sectarian groups aimed at destabilizing the region, including the Muslim Brotherhood, al-Qeida, the Islamic State group and militants supported by Iran in the kingdom's restive Eastern Province.

Egypt's Foreign Ministry accused Qatar of taking an antagonist approach toward Cairo and said all attempts to stop it from supporting terrorist groups failed.

Qatar long has denied funding extremists, though Western officials have accused it of allowing or even encouraging funding of Sunni extremists like al-Qeida's branch in Syria, once known as the Nusra Front.

The Gulf countries ordered their citizens out of Qatar and gave Qataris abroad 14 days to return home to their peninsular nation, whose only land border is with Saudi Arabia.

The countries also said they would eject Qatar's diplomats.

The nations also said they planned to cut air and sea traffic. Doha-based satellite news network Al-Jazeera reported trucks carrying food had begun lining up on the Saudi side of the border, apparently stranded.

The Qatar Stock Exchange fell more than 7 percent in trading Monday.

Qatar Airways, one of the region's major long-haul carriers, has suspended all flights to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain until further notice.

On its website, the carrier said the suspension of its flights would take effect Tuesday and customers are being offered a refund.

The route between Doha and Dubai is popular among business travelers and both are major transit hubs for travelers between Asia and Europe.

FlightRadar24, a popular airplane tracking website, said Qatar Airway flights already had started to be affected.

Many of Qatar Airways flights to southern Europe and Africa pass through Saudi Arabia, the site said.

Flights to Europe will most likely be rerouted through Iran and Turkey.