Qatar

‘End in sight’ for GCC row

‘End in sight’ for GCC row

August 13, 2014 | 01:04 AM

Saudi Arabian, Bahrain and UAE envoys will  return to Doha in the very near future with all differences between Qatar and the three GCC countries being resolved, Oman Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah has been quoted as saying by the local Arabic daily Al Sharq.

“The recent meeting of HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani with the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdulla bin Abdulaziz and the regional tour by Saudi Arabian Deputy Crown Prince Muqrin bin Abdulaziz  have brought the GCC viewpoints  closer and the return of envoys to Qatar may happen soon,” the Omani minister explained.

He also said that the next meeting of GCC foreign ministers would discuss issues faced by member countries, including disputes and differences among them, which should be resolved. 

Regarding the issues of dispute between Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain on one side and Qatar on the other side, he said: “GCC countries are determined to contain and treat their internal differences and resume  unity for a better than ever joint co-operation besides the protection of 30 years of past joint achievements.”

He implied that positive steps had been taken towards this goal but the sole entity that could say to which degree this had been done was the GCC committee tasked with topic and the decision to be issued officially by the GCC ministerial meeting. He indicated that there had been high-level diplomatic communications recently to resolve this issue.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain had pulled their ambassadors from Qatar on March 5 alleging that “Qatar was not fully committed to the GCC policy of non-interference in the domestic affairs of other GCC countries”.

Qatar has rejected the accusation and kept its ambassadors in the respective GCC countries.

August 13, 2014 | 01:04 AM