Washington: Senior Saudi, UAE and Qatari leaders will meet with US President Donald Trump in the next couple of months, US officials said, amid efforts by Washington to try to resolve a dispute between the Gulf neighbours.
His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, and Qatar’s Emir Shaikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani are all planning to have bilateral visits with Trump in March and April, a senior US official said.
The agenda will include setting up a Gulf Cooperation Council summit, the official said, which Washington hopes will be held later this year, as well as Middle East peace and Iran.
The UAE, along with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, cut off travel and trade ties with Qatar last June, accusing it of supporting terrorism and Iran’s agenda.
Washington is hoping to lay the groundwork for a summit by the summer.
“We would hope the dispute is resolved before the summit to allow maximum focus on other strategic concerns like Iran,” another US official said.
