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What is the issue?
There has been a degree of de-escalation in the on-going Qatar crisis.
How did the issue de-escalated?
- Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt had listed 13 demands and warned that there would be serious consequences if Qatar failed to yield.
- Qatar rejected the ultimatum and the 4 countries have not yet carried out their threats.
- Qatar sldo leaked the text of the demands to the media in order to draw the attention of the international community.
- The world came to realize that the four countries wanted Qatar to surrender its sovereignty in the realm of foreign policy.
- They also wanted to align Qatar’s social, political and economic policies with that of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.
- Following the international scrutiny, the countries have softened their stand, signaling that it might be enough if Qatar were to accede to ‘Six Principles’.
What was the reason for de-escalation?
- The initial move by Donald Trump was intended to project Saudi Arabia as the undisputed leader of the Muslim world.
- But, later the US State Department publicly rebuked Saudi Arabia for resorting to an embargo against Qatar without justification.
- This might have probably compelled the four countries to come out with their badly drafted set of demands.
- U.S’ Secretary of State went to Saudi Arabia where he met King Salman and the foreign ministers of the four countries.
- Though there was no breakthrough, the four countries got a clear message that the US had taken a stand for an early resolution of the crisis viz. a position that favored Qatar.
- With this, the foreign ministers of the four countries issued a declaration of ‘Six Principles’.
How did Qatar handled the crisis?
- Qatar made it clear that it would be prepared talk about the principles only after the blockade is lifted.
- Qatar’s handled the issue withn diplomatic maturity and patience.
- It has chosen not to retaliate.
- UAE continues to get natural gas from Qatar.
- They have not expelled 300,000 Egyptians who continue to work in its territory.
- Qatar has even constituted a Compensation Claims Committee to consolidate claims from Qatar Airways, banks, and others who have been affected by the blockade.
Source: IDSA
