UAE's Gargash says Qatar isolation could last for years

PARIS - 19 June 2017: A senior United Arab Emirates (UAE) official said on Monday Qatar's powerful Arab neighbours could continue to isolate it "for years" if it did not change course in its policy of supporting extremists and jihadist groups.

Speaking to a small group of reporters in Paris, Anwar Gargash, UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, said a list of grievances Arab nations had with Qatar would be completed in the next few days,and that Doha needed to move beyond its state of "denial".

"The Kuwaiti mediation will be very useful and there will be demands coming. Qatar will realise that this is a new state of affairs and isolation can last years," Gargash said.

"If they want to be isolated because of their perverted view of what their political role is then let them be isolated."

Qatar denies fomenting instability in the Middle East and funding terrorism.

Gargash also urged Turkey, which has been supportive of Qatar, to remain balanced in the crisis and understand that it was in its interest to support Arab efforts.