DOHA: Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain yesterday agreed to return their ambassadors to Qatar, promising an end to eight months of tense relations.
The announcement came after an emergency meeting of Gulf leaders in the Saudi capital Riyadh to discuss the dispute, which began in March and was threatening an annual summit scheduled to be held in Doha next month, news agencies reported yesterday.
The Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani attended the meeting, along with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia, the Emir of Kuwait H H Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, H M King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa of Bahrain, UAE Vice President H H Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is also UAE Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
A joint GCC statement issued after the meeting promises “the opening of a new page that will present a strong base, especially in light of the sensitive circumstances the region is undergoing.”
“Based on this, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain have decided to return their ambassadors to Doha,” it said. The three Gulf states recalled their ambassadors in March, accusing Doha of failing to abide by an agreement not to interfere in one another’s internal affairs.
The statement added that the decision on return of envoys is supplementary to an agreement reached by the GCC foreign ministers in Riyadh in April this year.
The foreign ministers agreed that the policies of GCC member states should not undermine the “interests, security and stability” of each other. Such policies must also not affect the “sovereignty” of a member state. The deal was brokered by Kuwait.
Quoting Al Jazeera, Al Sharq reported that the GCC Summit will be held in Doha next month as scheduled.
Yesterday’s meeting was only to discuss the internal relations between the GCC countries and seek ways to strengthen cooperation. Oman didn’t attend the meeting, said the daily.
The Peninsula
