Kuwaiti Emir to tour Gulf ahead of summit

CAIRO – 17 October 2017: Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah is expected to make a Gulf tour as a part of his efforts to solve Gulf crisis. The tour will take place ahead of the Gulf Summit scheduled to be held in Kuwait in December.

The Kuwait and Saudi Arabia talks will focus on the rift between Qatar and the Arab quartet and ways to address the differences during negotiations, as to radically resolve it, according to a Saudi source quoted by Germany’s official news agency.

The source refused to comment on the reports suggesting that the crisis will be resolved soon through a meeting held between the six Gulf states including Egypt in the Gulf Summit.

“Wisdom and experience of Sheikh Sabah will facilitate reaching practical solutions that ensure Qatar’s abidance to the basic principles required by the Arab quartet and the adoption of procedures to converge views based on the six principles adopted in 2013 for which Qatar’s Emir has made a written commitment,” noted the Saudi source.

The Gulf Summit faces many obstacles threatening its convention due to the boycott, especially as three Gulf States accuse Qatar of adopting a policy that destabilizes the Arab region.

Kuwait’s Deputy Foreign Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah declared that Kuwait has not yet sent any invitation to Gulf states regarding the summit. “Ahead of any Gulf Summit, Kuwait usually invites the states at an appropriate time, but it is still early to speak about these invitations.”

Jarallah said that he was optimistic about reaching a solution to the crisis. He also expressed hope that the dispute between the Gulf brothers would be addressed ahead of the upcoming summit.

“Kuwait’s mediation regarding the crisis will not fail and will continue with the help of the United States,” Jarallah stated late last month.

GCC member Kuwait has launched mediation efforts to find a common ground to end the crisis; however, Doha rejected the 13 demands made by the Anti-Terror Quartet (ATQ), foiling the mediation attempt.

Last week, Kuwait announced its readiness to host the summit in December, amid hopes that the dispute would be mostly resolved by then.