Four Arab countries open to dialogue with Qatar under conditions

The four Arab countries which have cut ties with Qatar said on Sunday they were ready for talks to tackle the dispute if Doha showed willingness to deal with their list of demands.

The foreign ministers of Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) met in the Bahraini capital Manama to discuss the crisis that has raised tensions across the region. The group reiterated their positions on the GCC crisis, condemning Qatar what they perceive as Doha's support for armed groups and reinstating a list of 13 demands it wants the Gulf nation to meet before talks to resolve the eight-week crisis could start. The four countries severed their diplomatic and transport links with Qatar on June 5.

The bloc had dropped the 13 demands, which included shuttering Al Jazeera television, and instead referred to six principles it said Qatar must agree to, fuelling speculation that the crisis could soon be resolved.

Diplomatic efforts led by Kuwait and backed by Western powers have failed to end the dispute, in which the four states have severed travel and communications with Qatar.

Qatar denies the charges and says the boycott is an attempt by Saudi Arabia to force smaller nations into submission.

On Sunday, the four foreign ministers said talks with Qatar hinge on its commitment to “stop supporting and financing terrorism and extremism,” according to a statement read out after their meeting in Bahrain’s capital.

"The four countries are ready for dialogue with Qatar with the condition that it announces its sincere willingness to stop funding terrorism and extremism and its commitment to not interfere in other countries' foreign affairs and respond to the 13 demands," Bahrain's foreign minister, Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa, told a joint news conference.

The four Arab countries added 18 more groups and individuals they say are linked to Qatar to their "terrorist" lists last week.

They announced no new economic sanctions on the Gulf state.

Saudi Arabia has closed its land border with Qatar while all four countries have cut air and sea links with Doha, demanding the gas exporting country take several measures to show it was changing its policies.

Turkey and Iran have stepped in to provide fresh produce, poultry and dairy products to Qatar instead of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, with Oman providing alternative ports to those in the UAE.