Qatar Warns Blockade Will Have "Negative" Effects On Gulf Region

His warning comes days after Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, Yemen and Mauritania announced they were cutting diplomatic ties and closing borders with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism in Syria and Yemen.

"The measures taken against Qatar violate international charters and humanitarian law. They will have negative effects on the region, particularly the Gulf," the Qatari minister said without elaborating. 

Mohammed condemned the moves against Qatar as a "collective punishment".

He said that his country was still in favour of "options of diplomacy and dialogue" to resolve the crisis.

The Qatari minister was speaking at a televised press conference with his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel in the central German town of Wolfenbuettel.

Gabriel warned of the risk that the Gulf crisis could intensify.

"We firmly believe that now is the hour of diplomacy," Gabriel said, adding that he hoped the sea and air blockade on Qatar would end quickly. 

Gabriel called for a quick solution to the crisis so that the region's governments could concentrate on what he said was the actual enemy, the Islamic State extremist group. 

In Washington, US President Donald Trump implored Qatar to resolve the crisis by renouncing support for terrorist movements.

"For Qatar, we want you back among the unity of responsible nations," he said. "We ask Qatar and other nations in the region to do more [to combat terrorism] and do it faster."

Trump said that "we will solve the problem" of terrorism by the Islamic State movement and other groups, claiming progress in a meeting last month in Saudi Arabia of leaders from Muslim countries.

"Stop funding, stop teaching hate and stop the killing," he said.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had earlier called for a de-escalation of tensions, warning of the diplomatic consequences of the blockade on the oil-rich country.

Tillerson urged for an easing of thee blockade, which he said was having "unintended consequences." He pointed to hardships on citizens, the blocking of international business and impacts on US military actions in the region against Islamic State.

"The elements of a solution are available," Tillerson said at the State Department, calling for "calm and thoughtful dialogue" and noting the US supports mediation efforts by Kuwait.

He also urged Qatar to heed the concerns of its neighbours about terrorist financing and extremism and for the emir to do more to respond to regional concerns.

Earlier Friday, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt placed on terrorism lists dozens of people and groups with alleged links to Qatar.

Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain are members of the US-allied Gulf Cooperation Council, which also includes Kuwait and Oman.

Tillerson stressed that the GCC is "stronger together".

"The GCC must emerge united and stronger to show the world the GCC's resolve in its fight against violence and terrorism, and its commitment to countering the threat from terrorism," he said.

The current dispute is the most serious to hit the GCC since 2014, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain temporarily withdrew their ambassadors from Qatar, accusing it of breaching a regional security pact. 

Qatar, an energy-rich country with a population of 2.5 million, has good relations with Iran, Saudi Arabia's regional rival.