There is still no end in sight to the dispute between Qatar and the Saudi-led bloc of four Arab countries after a week of shuttle diplomacy between the sides by the top US diplomat, UAE and US officials said.
"We are headed for a long estrangement ... we are very far from a political solution involving a change in Qatar's course, and in light of that nothing will change and we have to look for a different format of relations," UAE minister of state for foreign affairs Anwar Gargash said Friday on Twitter.
Rex Tillerson issued no official statement on Thursday as he headed back to Washington after a second meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim that followed talks with the Saudi Arabia's king and crown prince and foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt on Wednesday.
However, the US secretary of state echoed Mr Gargash's view while speaking to reporters en route to Washington, saying that “the final and ultimate resolution may take quite a while”.
But he was also cautiously optimistic that there are at least some areas under consideration where the two sides could find compromise, and that there is a “changed sense of willingness to at least be open to talking to one another and that was not the case before I came”.
The state department spokeswoman said earlier that the US hopes the next step in the mediation initiative will be face-to-face talks between Qatar and the boycotting countries, who accuse Doha of supporting terrorist groups and regional enemy, Iran. Doha denies all the allegations.
US officials have also suggested a second round of talks could begin in the coming weeks, which would also involve Britain. But officials from the four Arab countries gave no indication that they are yet willing to engage directly or that they see any signs from Doha of any willingness to compromise.
Mr Tillerson and his Qatari counterpart signed a bilateral agreement on enhanced US oversight of financial counterterrorism in the emirate, in a bid to indirectly address what the quartet had said was their primary grievance.
While details of the memorandum of understanding may not be made public, state department spokeswoman, Heather Nauert, said, “It is something where there will be regular, high-level consultations between Qatar and the United States. It’s sort of a form of a counterterrorism dialogue. There will be benchmarks in place, there will be ways that we check in with them and that they check in with us.”
The four countries supported the agreement but said it was a result of pressure from them, rather than the US or anyone else, and UAE officials have expressed their doubts about Qatar sticking to its commitments.
Another issue that could provide a confidence-building measure is an editorial restructuring of Al Jazeera Arabic, rather than a full shutdown of the network, as the quartet originally demanded, though Qatari officials have said nothing about whether they will discuss the idea.
“If we can begin to have some success beginning to take some of these issues off the table because we now have a way to move forward then I’m hoping that will start the process of returning, normalising relations,” Mr Tillerson said. He added that some of the demands “can be addressed up front fairly quickly, some of them are going to be, I think, more complex.”
The Ashes
Results
First Test, Brisbane: Australia won by 10 wickets
Second Test, Adelaide: Australia won by 120 runs
Third Test, Perth: Australia won by an innings and 41 runs
Fourth Test: Melbourne: Drawn
Fifth Test: Australia won by an innings and 123 runs
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
The Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index
Mazen Abukhater, principal and actuary at global consultancy Mercer, Middle East, says the company’s Melbourne Mercer Global Pension Index - which benchmarks 34 pension schemes across the globe to assess their adequacy, sustainability and integrity - included Saudi Arabia for the first time this year to offer a glimpse into the region.
The index highlighted fundamental issues for all 34 countries, such as a rapid ageing population and a low growth / low interest environment putting pressure on expected returns. It also highlighted the increasing popularity around the world of defined contribution schemes.
“Average life expectancy has been increasing by about three years every 10 years. Someone born in 1947 is expected to live until 85 whereas someone born in 2007 is expected to live to 103,” Mr Abukhater told the Mena Pensions Conference.
“Are our systems equipped to handle these kind of life expectancies in the future? If so many people retire at 60, they are going to be in retirement for 43 years – so we need to adapt our retirement age to our changing life expectancy.”
Saudi Arabia came in the middle of Mercer’s ranking with a score of 58.9. The report said the country's index could be raised by improving the minimum level of support for the poorest aged individuals and increasing the labour force participation rate at older ages as life expectancies rise.
Mr Abukhater said the challenges of an ageing population, increased life expectancy and some individuals relying solely on their government for financial support in their retirement years will put the system under strain.
“To relieve that pressure, governments need to consider whether it is time to switch to a defined contribution scheme so that individuals can supplement their own future with the help of government support,” he said.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
More from Neighbourhood Watch
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
