Qatar crisis off the table in Kuwait talks
Kuwait set to resume efforts to resolve three-year-old Gulf dispute
Cairo: Recent talks that Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Ahmed Nasser Al Sabah held with Qatari and Saudi officials did not tackle the Gulf standoff between Doha and an Arab quartet, according to a Kuwaiti media report.
Last week, the Kuwaiti minister separately met with Qatar’s visiting Foreign Minister Mohammed Bin Abdulrahaman Al Thani and Saudi Ambassador to Kuwait Sultan Bin Saad amid a renewed US push for Gulf unity to counterbalance Iran’s influence in the region.
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“Talks revolved around regional and local developments, major security and economic challenges, and efforts to confront them,” Kuwaiti government sources told Al Qabas newspaper.
“Kuwaiti efforts to cement Gulf ranks have not and will not stop. These endeavours will resume,” the sources added. “All parties are keen not to allow the disagreement not to prolong. Solutions are being worked,” they added without elaborating.
In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt broke off diplomatic and transportation links with Qatar over its support for extremist groups.
The quartet has set several conditions to mend ties with Qatar, including the emirate’s severance of links with militant and terror groups.
Doha has refused the conditions, saying they violate its sovereignty.
Kuwait has since attempted to resolve the row, but without success so far.
During a Middle East trip last week, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called for unity among the allied six nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The grouping comprises the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and Oman.