The Gulf states said they are considering further economic pressure on Qatar if Doha does not respond to Arab demands and stops its support to terrorism. The warning, the latest escalation in the three-week dispute, was made by Omar Ghobash, the United Arab Emirates' ambassador to Moscow. Speaking to the Guardian, he said the Arab countries would ask its trade partners to stop trading with Doha. The UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain have imposed an economic and diplomatic embargo on Qatar, claiming it has been harboring terrorists and funding extremism for years. Speaking in London, Ghobash said expulsion of Qatar from the Gulf Cooperation Council – often raised as a possible sanction – was not the only sanction available. He added: "Their position today anyway is inconsistent with being members of the GCC because it is a common security and defense organization. There are certain economic sanctions that we can take which are being considered right now. "One possibility would be to impose conditions on our own trading partners and say you want to work with us then you have got to make a commercial choice. "If Qatar was not willing to accept the demands, it is a case of ‘Goodbye Qatar' we do not need you in our tent anymore".
