Gulf diplomatic crisis: UAE clarifies it doesn't wants regime change in Qatar

Dubai: A top United Arab Emirates official has said that the Arab countries isolating Qatar do not seek to force out the country’s leadership but are willing to cut ties with it if it does not agree to their demands. [caption id=“attachment_3742085” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Kuwait’s Emir Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. AP[/caption] Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash told reporters in Dubai on Saturday that his country and its allies, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain, do not want “regime change” in Qatar, but a “behavioral change.” The four countries presented a 13-point list of demands to Qatar through mediator Kuwait on Thursday and gave it 10 days to comply. Qatar says it is reviewing the ultimatum, which includes demands to shut Al-Jazeera, cut ties with Islamist groups including the Muslim Brotherhood, and curb relations with Iran. On 5 June, Saudi Arabia and the UAE led a severing of all links with Qatar for allegedly supporting groups, including some backed by Iran. Other allies, including Bahrain and Egypt, followed.