US urges Qatar, neighbours to ‘sit together’ to ease tension

WASHINGTON – The United States says some demands on Qatar (KUH’-tur) by its Mideast neighbours “will be very difficult to meet.” But the U.S. isn’t rejecting the demands outright.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says in a statement that a list of demands from Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates includes major areas that “provide a basis for ongoing dialogue leading to a resolution.”

He’s calling for Qatar and the other Arab countries to “sit together” to work through the list.

Tillerson is also calling for a “lowering of rhetoric” to “help ease the tension.” He says the U.S. is supporting Kuwait’s efforts to mediate.

The demands include shuttering Al-Jazeera and severing ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. Tillerson had previously insisted any demands be “reasonable and actionable.”