Cairo – "We're not backing down on the Qatar blockade," President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said at the latest of his youth conferences. "Egypt will stand by its decision and will not backtrack on this matter. Our persistence on its own, our stance, and this block, is pressure in itself," Reuters quotes the president as having said. Qatar's ruling emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani said on Friday he was ready for dialogue, but any solution must respect Qatar's sovereignty. Kuwait has sought to mediate and the United States and Germany have urged dialogue.
Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan left Qatar on Monday after two days in the Gulf trying to mediate in the dispute, but there was no sign the Turkish leader had made any progress.
The four Arab states want Qatar to reduce ties with their arch-foe Iran, close down a Turkish military base and shut the Al Jazeera TV channel, which they view as critical. Turkey and Qatar are backers of the outlawed Muslim Brotherhood that has been posing growing threats to Arab security and stability.
