Tokyo

ATTITUDES are hardening among Persian Gulf states where the emirate of Qatar is at the centre of a crisis which, according to one leading Japanese energy expert, has the potential to escalate and impact vital natural gas supplies to key Asian nations including Japan. "An assertive posture is on the rise" across the region, where Saudi Arabia and its allies have abruptly cut off diplomatic ties as well as sea and land links with Qatar over alleged support for terrorist groups, said Koichiro Tanaka, head of the Japan Institute of Energy Economics.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have given Qatar a July deadline to respond to their list of 13 demands and reports on Tuesday suggested that the deadline would not be extended. Meanwhile, fears of a possible conflict are growing.