US urges Arab states to reach resolution in dispute

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said on Sunday that Qatar and the four Arab states that imposed a boycott on their tiny but wealthy neighbour should sit down together in order to try to reach a resolution.

"A productive next step would be for each of the countries to sit together and continue this conversation," Tillerson said in a statement. 

"We believe our allies and partners are stronger when they are working together towards one goal which we all agree is stopping terrorism and countering extremism."

Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates have sent a 13-point list of demands apparently aimed at dismantling Qatar's two-decade-old interventionist foreign policy which has incensed them. Kuwait is helping mediate the dispute.

"A lowering of rhetoric would also help ease the tension," Tillerson said, adding that the United States will remain in close contact with all the countries involved. 

Qatar said on Saturday that the 13-point list of demands impinged on its sovereignty and failed to meet US expectations they be "reasonable".

In Qatar's first response to the demands, government communications director Sheikh Saif bin Ahmed al-Thani said on Saturday that they went far beyond the four governments' stated aim of combating terrorism.

"This blockade is not aimed at fighting terrorism but at impinging on Qatar's sovereignty and interfering in its foreign policy," Sheikh Saif said.

He recalled that US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson had said on Wednesday that Washington wanted a clear list of grievances that was "reasonable and actionable".

This list "does not meet those standards," he said.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry said that it is preparing its response.