‘A victory for the wisdom of GCC leaders’

Commenting on the issue, the UAE’s Al Bayan’s held that GCC countries have always strived to consolidate the spirit of genuine cooperation between them, and the Riyadh meeting between GCC leaders reflected their keenness to turn a new leaf in brotherly relations.

“The Riyadh agreement embodies a new episode in brotherly relations in the Gulf and upholds its unity, interests and future of its peoples. The agreement represents a strong point in fuelling the march of joint GCC work, which will result in a strong and cohesive entity that can face critical regional issues. The decision by Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain to return their ambassadors to Qatar is a clear and decisive signal to those who tempted to meddle in the unity, security or stability of the GCC. The agreement is a step in the right direction, giving priority to the interests of the Gulf over any other issue,” the newspaper said.

Praising Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz for his historic accomplishment of ending the dispute between GCC countries, the kingdom’s Al Yaum newspaper said that he had brought back unity between the leaders and people of the Gulf. “Throughout the past few months, the people of the Gulf have been hoping for King Abdullah’s wisdom and leadership to prevail in the dispute and for the GCC countries to be united once again. The Gulf people’s wish was fulfilled and King Abdullah’s wisdom prevailed over those who fuel the fire of disputes and unrest ... [He did this] by inviting GCC leaders to discuss ways to implement the Riyadh agreement and return the ambassadors. The leaders of the UAE, Bahrain and Qatar were also gracious, giving priority to collective interest over self-interest and siding with the wisdom, reasoning and desire of King Abdullah, the efforts of Kuwaiti Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah and wishes and desires of the GCC people.

The decision to return the ambassadors to Doha is a victory for the wisdom of GCC leaders and reaffirms their political insight, which stems from the principle that the Gulf people are one, and share a common fate and concerns, said Qatar’s Al Sharq. “In the past few months, we — as well as other GCC citizens — have put our trust in the wisdom of the GCC leaders, who dealt with the dispute between brothers as a passing cloud. We believed in their wisdom, political acumen and capability to overcome this crisis with the traditional intimacy that exists between them. They have all dealt with the matter in a very brotherly manner, undaunted by attempts of regional powers to turn the difference in visions into a dispute regarding issues of common concern between brothers.”

The real danger would arise if the wounds were reopened, the London-based pan-Arab Al Sharq Al Awsat said. “The GCC will live this ‘honeymoon’ period until the summit takes place in Doha. A summit that was under threat of not taking place at all for the first time since the GCC was established in 1981. And who knows, this honeymoon may continue past the summit and Qatar will go on to host GCC ministerial committee meetings. This is an indication that the dispute was perhaps merely a passing cloud. However, if the issue were to recur, it would definitely be much more complicated and dangerous, leading to decisions and resolutions that would have inconceivable outcomes. We wish for this GCC ‘honeymoon’ to never end, even if wishes need to be accompanied by actions.”