Qatari foreign minister to meet Tillerson in Washington

Qatar's foreign minister is set to meet his US counterpart 
in Washington, DC, after the US state department voiced
confusion over the Saudi-backed embargo of the country.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani's meeting 
with Rex Tillerson, US secretary of state, on Tuesday will 
come just days after Qatar dismissed a list of demands 
from Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.

The ultimatum demands that Qatar comply with 13 
points in return for an end to a three-week-old diplomatic 
and trade blockade of the country.

In an interview with France 24 Arabic, Sheikh Mohammed 
bin Abdulrahman has said Qatar has always "abided by
international laws" and played a key role in the international
coalition battling the Islamic State of Iraq and the 
Levant (ISIL) group.

The four Arab governments announced earlier this 
month they were suspending all ties with Qatar, accusing 
it of support for "extremist groups", a claim Qatar denies.

Tillerson has urged a diplomatic solution, and the US has
been pushing for a clear list of grievances that are
" reasonable and actionable".

Underscoring the administration's mounting frustration 
over the Saudi bloc's role in the crisis, Heather Nauert, 
state department spokesperson, recently called on the 
parties to settle their differences.

Nauert called into question whether Qatar's alleged 
support for terrorism was the true cause of the crisis, or whether there was an underlying political dispute.

In addition to cutting diplomatic ties, Qatar's neighbours
expelled Qatari citizens, closed their airspace to Qatari 
carriers and blocked its only land border, vital for food imports.

Qatar is home to the largest US base in the region,
 Al-Udeid, while Bahrain is home to the US navy's Fifth Fleet.