Four Arab states hands Qatar list of 13 demands including shutting down Al Jazeera, Al Jazeera hits back

Four Arab states boycotting Qatar over alleged support for terrorism on Friday handed the country a list of 13 demands including the shutting down of the country's owned Al Jazeera television  network and reducing ties to their regional foe Iran.

The list which was compiled by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain, which recently cut economic, diplomatic and travel ties to Doha, were presented by a Kuwaiti mediator and comes with a 10 days ultimatum to comply with the demands. 

The four Arab countries accuse Qatar of funding terrorism, fomenting regional instability and cosying up to revolutionary theocracy Iran an accusation Qatar has denied.

The demands includes;

1. Qatar must announce the reduction of diplomatic links with Iran, shut down its missions there and cut any military or intelligence cooperation with Iran.

2. Immediately shut the Turkish military base currently being established in Qatar, and halt any military cooperation with Turkey in Qatar.

3. Announce it is cutting relations with all terrorist, ideological and sectarian organizations, including the Muslim Brotherhood, Islamic State, al Qaeda and Hezbollah. Designate them as terrorist groups and add them to the lists announced by the four Arab states.

4. Cease funding of any extremist and terrorist individuals, entities and organizations, including those designated as such by the four countries, the United States and other international organizations.

5. Qatar must hand over all designated terrorists wanted by the four countries, the United States and other international organizations, freeze their assets, and stop hosting others in future. 

6. Shut down Al Jazeera and all affiliated channels.

7. Stop interfering in the four countries' domestic and foreign affairs. Stop allowing their citizens to become naturalized Qataris and extradite those who have been naturalized if they have violated laws in the four countries. Cut ties with the opposition in the four countries and give details of previous cooperation between Qatar and those elements.

8. Provide reparations to the four countries for any damage or opportunity costs incurred because of Qatari policies. The mechanism will be decided on in the agreement that will be signed with Qatar.

9. Align Qatar with its Gulf and Arab neighbors on all levels (military, political, economic, social and security) which guarantee national, Gulf and Arab security, and activate the Riyadh agreements of 2013 and 2014.

10. Provide data showing which opposition groups Qatar supported and what help was provided.

11. Close all media outlets backed by Qatar directly or indirectly.

12. All these demands must be agreed to within 10 days of the date of presentation, or they will be considered void.

13. The agreement will involve clear goals and mechanisms, with monthly reports in the first year, every three months in the next year and then annually for 10 years.

Meanwhile Al Jazeera has hit back at the reported demands by the four Arab countries to close it down, calling them "nothing but an attempt to silence the freedom of expression in the region."

We assert our right to practise our journalism professionally without bowing to pressure from any government or authority and we demand that governments respect the freedom of media to allow journalists to continue to do their jobs free of intimidation, threats, and fearmongering, Al Jazeera said.

Turkey has also weighed in on the demand with the Turkish Defence Minister Fikri Isik rejecting the demand, saying any call for the base to be shut would represent interference in Ankara's relations with Doha.

Strengthening the Turkish base would be a positive step in terms of the Gulf's security, he said. Re-evaluating the base agreement with Qatar is not on our agenda, he added.

Meanwhile Qatar says it won't negotiate under boycott unless the the four states lift the embargoes.