The four Arab nations leading a boycott of Qatar are no longer insisting it comply with a list of 13 specific demands they tabled last month.
Diplomats from Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt told reporters at the UN they now wanted it to accept six broad principles.
The tiny Gulf nation to commit to six principles on combatting extremism and terrorism and negotiate a plan with specific measures to implement them a step that could pave the way for an early resolution of the crisis.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain broke diplomatic relations with Qatar in early June largely over their allegations that it supports terrorist and extremist groups a charge Qatar rejects. They initially made 13 demands, which Qatar also dismissed.
Saudi Arabia's UN Ambassador Abdallah Al-Mouallimi told a briefing for a group of UN correspondents that the four nations are now committed to the six principles agreed to by their foreign ministers at a meeting in Cairo on July 5, and hope Qatar will support them as well. The principles include commitments to combat extremism and terrorism, prevent financing and safe havens for such groups, and suspend all acts of provocation and speeches inciting hatred or violence. Al-Mouallimi said the four-nation quartet thinks it "should be easy for the Qataris to accept" the six principles.
He stressed that implementation and monitoring must be "essential components," and "there will be no compromise when it comes to principles."
But he said both sides can talk about details of "the tactics" and "the tools" to implement them "and that's where we can have discussion and compromise." The Saudi ambassador explained that the initial 13 points included some principles to achieve compliance.
President Donald Trump has sided strongly with Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the dispute, publicly backing their contention that Qatar is a supporter of Islamic militant groups and a destabilizing force in the Middle East. AGENCIES