Egypt takes firm stance on Qatar

By Azernews

By Kamila Aliyeva

The Gulf crisis escalates further as Egypt takes firm stance on Qatar and applies new measure against the emirate by canceling visa-free travel for Qatari citizens.

The Egyptian authorities have decided to introduce mandatory entry visas for all citizens of Qatar coming to the country from Thursday, July 20, RIA Novosti reported.

An exception will be made only for Egyptian citizens who are married to Qatari citizens, children from mixed marriages, and Qatari students studying in Egyptian state universities.

Starting from now on Qatari nationals, who previously entered Egypt without obtaining a visa, will have to receive permission to travel in advance at the embassies of Egypt abroad.

Persons from the categories for which an exception is made will be able to obtain a tourist three-month visa at Egyptian airports, and then will be required to legalize their stay on Egyptian territory.

The need to obtain visas will affect not only ordinary citizens, but also diplomats and government officials.

At the same time, Egypt informed Kuwait, the mediator in Gulf dispute, that it was committed to keeping anti-Qatar measures in place until the demands made by Saudi-led block are met.

The country's foreign minister Sameh Shoukry, during a meeting with his Kuwaiti counterpart Sheikh Sabah al-Khalid al-Sabah in Cairo on July 17, said that the only way to resolve the Gulf Crisis for Qatar is to comply with the demands.

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi also held a meeting with al-Khalid on Monday during which he expressed gratitude for Kuwait's mediation in the dispute, however stating that Egypt would not let anyone interfere in its affairs and would stand strong against policies that support "terrorism."

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain in early June cut off diplomatic relations, severed air, land and sea links with Qatar, accusing the latter of supporting terrorism, and ordered Qatari citizens to leave their countries within two weeks.

In early July, the Arab states sent a list of demand and required Doha to cut diplomatic relations with Iran, close the Turkish military base, eliminate Al-Jazeera TV channel, extradite all persons wanted in four countries on charges of terrorism and pay compensation.

Doha refused to fulfill these requirements calling the list unrealistic and not actionable. Four Arab states claimed that economic boycott against Qatar will remain in place until the country changes its policies for the better.

Kuwait currently mediates the crisis.