Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emriates withdrew ambassadors to Qatar on Wednesday, saying in a joint statement that the Gulf Cooperation Council member failed to honor an 2013 agreement signed in Riyadh that obliged member states to abstain from intervening with the domestic affairs of each other.
The statement said that Qatar fell short of taking steps necessary to put the 23 November 2013 agreement signed by its emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, into force. The three kingdoms said that, as a result, they decided to withdraw their ambassadors to preserve their "security and stability."
The statement noted that the 2013 security deal sought to oblige member states not to intervene with each other's domestic affairs "either directly or indirectly", and "not to support individuals or institutions seeking to endnanger the securty and stability of GCC members" either through direct security action, political pressure or hostile media.
The statement, however, did not provide examples for Qatar's failure to commit to the agreement.
Last month, UAE summoned Qatars' ambassador over remarks by Qatar-based Islamic preacher Yusuf al-Qaradawi in which he accused Emirstes of standing against Islamic rule.
UAE and Saudi Arabia have been major supporters of the ouster of Egypt's deposed president Mohamed Morsy, a leader of the Muslim Brotherhoiod of which Qaradawi is a staunch supporter.
Egypt and Qatar withdrew ambassadors following the approval of a new Egyptian constitution in January. Qatar officially condemned Egypt's interim authorities' crackdown on protests demanding Morsy's reinstatement.
