DUBAI, July 4 (Xinhua) -- United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed said on Tuesday that fellow Gulf state Qatar is "reluctant to change its policy towards supporting terrorism."
The UAE's top diplomat made the remarks at a press conference in the country's capital Abu Dhabi, UAE daily The National reported.
Sheikh Abdullah said the Saudi-led quartet, including UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, wait for Doha to respond to their 13 demands, the report said. Kuwait, which is playing a mediatory role in the crisis, reached on Monday an extension of the deadline by 48 hours.
The four Arab countries have issued 13 demands to Qatar over its alleged support of extremism which they say Doha must meet or face further sanctions.
The quartet demand from gas-rich Qatar to expel "terrorists," severe ties with Iran, terminate the presence of a Turkish military base in the country and to close the government-controlled news channel Al Jazeera.
The quartet cut diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5 and imposed a transport boycott to and from the Gulf state by closing their land, sea and air borders for Qatari vehicles, ships and planes.
Sheikh Abdullah said the decision of Saudi-led quartet to boycott Qatar matured after "years of patience," according to the report. He said the four countries had had "enough" of Qatar supporting terrorism."
Qatar denies the charges that it was supporting "terrorism and extremism."
Following the press conference, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Zayed held talks with his German counterpart, Minister of Foreign Affairs Sigmar Gabriel, who tours the region currently to reach a diplomatic solution of the diplomatic spat.
Gabriel held talks on Monday in Riyadh with the Saudi government about the Gulf crisis.
