Against mounting pressure from the United States and Europe, Egypt has taken the step of warning the EU that it "will not compromise on the Qatar issue" according to AFP.
Egypt warned the EU on Tuesday that an alliance of Arab states would accept no compromise in their dispute with Qatar over allegations that the gas-rich emirate supports terrorism.
After talks with EU diplomatic chief Federica Mogherini in Brussels, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is reported to have said the following:
"It is not an issue of compromise, we cannot compromise with any form of terrorism, we cannot compromise or enter into any form of negotiations," in a press conference.
Shoukry added that Qatar was "harboring elements associated to terrorist ideologies, to radical ideologies, that they have utilized their media outlets to promote and to justify and to glorify terrorist activity."
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE - in addition to others - have presented Qatar with a list of demands, but also face mounting pressure to arrive at a diplomatic solutuon in their continuing boycott against Qatar. The EU diplomatic chief met with the Kuwaiti Emir over the weekend in an effort to mediate the crisis, and is reported to have concluded as follows:
"We in Europe see this as a need not just for one country but for all countries." Mogherini added that the EU has a "clear commitment to fight terrorism" and that Kuwaiti-mediated talks "can and should start as a matter of urgency."
