SAUDI REOPENS QATAR BORDER TO FACILITATE HAJ PILGRIMAGE

DUBAI/DOHA : Qatari pilgrims began arriving in Saudi Arabia on Thursday after Riyadh said it was opening up its border and airports for those attending the annual haj pilgrimage despite a diplomatic rift that cut travel ties.

Qatar welcomed the Saudi decision to open the frontier and provide flights for Qatari pilgrims, but regarded the move as politically motivated, Foreign Minister Sheik hM oh am med bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed transport links with Qatar in June and imposed sanctions, accusing it of supporting Islamist militants and Iran, which Doha denies.

The state-run Saudi Press Agency( SPA) said the Salwa border point would be open for Qataris performing the haj, which this year runs from late August to early September.

Saudi-owned al-Arabiya television reported that about 120 Qatari pilgrims had entered Saudi territory on Thursday through Salwa, which was opened for the first time since the four-nation boycott of Qatar began. The pilgrims entered as guests of the Saudi king, al-Arabiya reported. There was no immediate confirmation of the report by border officials on the Qatari side of the frontier. Saudi Arabia had already stated that Qatari pilgrims would not be affected by the travel restrictions.