Breakthrough seen in ending Gulf spat with Qatar
Kuwait and the US have stepped up efforts to resolve the dispute
Kuwait City: Signs are growing of a breakthrough in resolving a two-year row involving Qatar and a Saudi-led bloc, Kuwaiti newspaper Al Qabas has reported.
The reported headway comes amid Kuwait-led moves to end the bitter row, the paper added.
Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Shaikh Sabah Al Khalid this week handed Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz a message from Kuwait’s Emir Shaikh Sabah Al Ahmad, who has recently urged an end to the Gulf dispute.
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.
The US, an ally of the five countries, has also renewed its efforts to defuse Gulf tensions as Washington is seeking to build an anti-Iran alliance.
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo this week met Qatari Foreign Minister Shaikh Mohammad Bin Abdul Rahman, days after he had talks with Saudi Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Adel Al Jubeir.
The four countries are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which also comprises Kuwait and Oman.