DHAKA: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain have said they are withdrawing their ambassadors to Qatar because Doha had not implemented an agreement among Gulf Arab countries not to interfere in each others’ internal affairs.

The three countries said the move was necessary ‘to protect their security and stability’, reports Al Jazeera.

According to a report published by Saudi state media on Wednesday, the decision to withdraw diplomatic envoys was made because Qatar did not implement a security pact about non-interference in the internal affairs of the other states that make up the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

A joint statement from the three countries claimed Qatar failed to commit ‘to the principles’ of the GCC.

A security agreement signed last year by the GCC focused on cooperation in the exchange of information and tracking down of criminals and those who broke the law.

Joseph Kechichian, Senior Fellow at the King Faisal center for Research & Islamic Studies in Riyadh, told Al Jazeera the move is likely about more than the security pact because Qatar supports the pact.

‘This reflects a fundamental political difference of opinion within the GCC, primarily between Qatar alone as one country, and the other five over the Muslim Brotherhood situation, not just in the GCC region, but also in Egypt which has been during the past several years - the bete noire- of the Arab Spring,’ Kechichian said.

BDST: 1804 HRS, MAR 05, 2014