Manama: Bahrain’s foreign minister has called for suspending the membership of Qatar in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), saying that it did not deserve the honour of belonging to the alliance that also comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Shaikh Khalid Bin Ahmad Al Khalifa also stressed that Bahrain would not attend a GCC summit in which Qatar would be present.

“The right step to preserve the GCC is to freeze Qatar’s membership until it uses its mind rationally and responds to the demands of our countries. Otherwise, we will be fine that it leaves the GCC,” Shaikh Khalid posted on his Twitter account late on Sunday.

On June 5, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt severed their diplomatic and trade relations with Qatar after accusing it of supporting extremists and funding terrorism.

The Quartet issued a list of 13 demands and asked Qatar to respond to them in order to start the process to iron out differences and resume relations. Doha rejected the demands.

Kuwait has tried to mediate between the two sides, but almost five months into the dispute, no breakthrough or even incremental progress has been achieved.

The GCC countries are scheduled to hold their annual summit in Kuwait in December, but its fate is unclear amid reports that it would be postponed by six months, cancelled or shifted to another venue.

Shaikh Khalid in his tweets said that Qatar should not bet on the summit to make any gains and announced Bahrain’s boycott of the next summit if Qatar attends.

“Given Qatar's rogue policy and pervasive evil that threaten our national security, our countries have taken an important step by boycotting Qatar in the hope it regains its senses,” he said.

“Qatar's failure to comply with our just demands to stop its on-going conspiracy against our countries proves that it does not respect the GCC and its charter and treaties that it signed," Shaikh Khalid said in a series of tweets to his 445,000 followers on the microblog.

"If Qatar thinks that its procrastination and its current evasion will buy time until the next summit of the GCC, then it is wrong. If the situation remains as it is, we will not attend the summit," he added.

"Bahrain will not attend a summit and sit with Qatar, a country that is getting closer to Iran day after day and is bringing in foreign forces, both of which are dangerous steps against the security of the GCC countries,” Shaikh Khalid said stated.

The minister called for a courageous decision.

“The situation requires clarity and courage in making decisions and we have suffered the most from the conspiracies and evils of Qatar since it broke away as a separate entity from Bahrain decades ago,” he said.

“A country that does not respect its people who are our families and humiliates Arab shaikhs such as Talib Bin Shraim, Bin Shafi and others do not deserve the honour of belonging to the GCC.”

Bahrain imposes visas on Qatari nationals

Manama: Bahrain is imposing visas on Qatari nationals planning to visit the kingdom following years of allowing citizens from the peninsular country to enter Bahrain by showing their identity cards.

The decision was attributed to the need to take measures to ensure that Bahrain’s openness on tourism and visits is not abused to target its security and stability.

King Hamad Bin Eisa Al Khalifa who chaired the weekly cabinet session on Monday ordered the imposition of visas as part of strengthening the process to enter and live in Bahrain in light of the prevailing security challenges and to protect the kingdom’s security and stability.

The visa will not be imposed on the other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) – Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates whose citizens will continue to enter Bahrain with their IDs.

Bahrain has suffered the most from the policies adopted by Qatar, King Hamad stressed.

Addressing and defeating terrorism is a priority, and the Kingdom of Bahrain will remain an oasis of security and stability and will resolutely and forcefully confront every cowardly act aimed at undermining its security and stability, King Hamad said.