US envoys seek to shift focus away from 13 Qatar demands

Bloomberg

Two US envoys shuttling between Middle East capitals to resolve the Qatar crisis want to shift the focus away from the 13 conditions demanded by the Saudi-led alliance, according to a Gulf official with knowledge of the matter.
General Anthony Zinni, a retired former head of US Central Command, and senior State Department official Timothy Lenderking will promote a solution based on a road map proposed by Secretary of State Rex Tillerson as well as six broad principles that include combating terrorism, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss confidential deliberations.
The alliance of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt last month reinstated the conditions, which include shutting down Al Jazeera television, after initially dropping them to focus on the six principles. The move dealt a blow to mediation efforts led by Kuwait and the US.
Tillerson presented his road map when he visited the region last month. The proposals included laying the grounds for direct negotiations based on an accord that resolved a previous dispute between the Gulf nations. The two US envoys met with Kuwaiti officials on Monday. They’re due to travel to Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, before heading to Qatar, the official said. Kuwait’s emir also dispatched his foreign minister and another member of cabinet to the boycotting nations and Qatar this week.