DOHA, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The economic sanctions imposed on Qatar by the Gulf states violate no World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement, according to a United Arab Emirates (UAE) official.
"The sanctions imposed by the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain did not contradict the agreements of the WTO," Juma Mohammed al-Kait, an assistant undersecretary in the Economy Ministry, was quoted by UAE state news agency WAM as saying late Tuesday.
Al-Kait also said the boycott complies with articles 21 and 14 of the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS), which allows such moves in the case of security exceptions.
Qatar filed a wide-ranging complaint at WTO on Monday to challenge the trade boycott by Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain.
The three boycotting countries, along with Egypt, severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5, accusing the latter of financing terrorism and interfering in other countries' domestic affairs, which Doha has repeatedly denied.
