Sources: Qatar to apologize to Arab heads during GCC summit

CAIRO – 4 December 2017: Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Haman Al-Thani is expected to apologize to Saudi King Salman bin Abdel Aziz during the upcoming Gulf summit scheduled to be held in Kuwait December 5-6, according to well-informed Arab diplomats.

The Arab diplomatic sources revealed to Egypt Today that Tamim will shake hands with the Gulf emirs and kings before launching the summit, following meditation efforts exerted by the Kuwaiti emir to contain the intra-Gulf diplomatic crisis that erupted last June.

High-level sources disclosed to Kuwait-based Al-Siyassah newspaper that Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E. and Bahrain have not yet sent an official response to the Kuwaiti emir regarding their participation.

The sources stressed that the Kuwaiti mediation endeavors may result in forcing Qatar to make some concessions in favor of lifting boycott measures imposed on Doha by the Arab quartet states led by Saudi Arabia, and returning to the Gulf and Arab side.

“The ministerial meeting will be attended Monday, and (for) the summit, God willing, the Emir(will attend),” Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani said in a speech on Sunday, according to Reuters.


Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani speaks to members of Qatar's Shoura Council in Doha, Qatar, November 14, 2017-REUTERS

On November 26, Crown Prince Mohamed bin Salman inaugurated the session titled "United against Terrorism." Doha was excluded from attending the Riyadh forum of the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition's Ministers of Defense Council.

On June 5, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain decided to cut all diplomatic ties with Qatar, hurling allegations that the state destabilizes the region by supporting terrorism and allying with the regional foe Iran.

The boycotting countries halted all land, air and sea traffic with Qatar, ejected its diplomats and ordered Qatari citizens to leave their states within 14 days.

The Arab countries listed 13 demands to be met by Qatar, including severing ties with terrorist groups, closing down the pan-Arab Al-Jazeera satellite channel, downgrading ties with arch-rival Iran and the closure of a Turkish air base in Qatar.