Gulf Arab leaders sign declaration to ease rift
Gulf Arab leaders have signed a declaration to ease a rift with Qatar, following Saudi Arabia’s decision to end a 31⁄ 2- year embargo of the tiny energy-rich country that deeply divided regional US security allies and frayed social ties across the Arabian Peninsula.
Saudi Arabia also said it was restoring full diplomatic relations with Qatar, although it was not clear how soon the step would be followed by the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, which had joined the kingdom in isolating the country over its regional policies.
On Monday night, local time, the eve of the Gulf Arab leaders’ summit in the ancient desert city of Al-Ula, the Saudis announced they would open the kingdom’s airspace and borders to Qatar, the first major step toward ending the diplomatic crisis that began in 2017, when the Trump administration was starting to raise pressure on Iran.
It was unclear what, if any, significant concessions Qatar hadmade before the summit. Still, an immediate shift in tone was palpable as one of Qatar’s Al Jazeera Arabic news Twitter accounts shared photographs of the Riyadh and Abu Dhabi skylines on Tuesday following years of critical coverage.
Saudi Foreign Minister
Prince
Faisal bin Farhan told reporters after the summit that diplomatic relations would be restored in full with Qatar, although no time frame was given.
‘‘We are extremely pleased with having been able to achieve this very important breakthrough that we believe will contribute very much to the stability and security of all our nations in the region,’’ Prince Faisal said. ‘‘We are at a place where everybody is satisfied and happy ... the returning of diplomatic relations, flights, etc., all of that will now go back to normal.’’
The diplomatic breakthrough followed a final push by the outgoing
Trump administration and Kuwait to mediate the dispute. It also came as Saudi Arabia seeks to unify Arab ranks ahead of the incoming administration of President-elect Joe Biden, which is expected to take a firmer stand towards the kingdom and re-engage with Iran.
Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif congratulated Qatar ‘‘for the success of its brave resistance to pressure & extortion.’’ He also said in a message to other Arab leaders that ‘‘Iran is neither an enemy nor threat – especially with your reckless patron on his way out,’’ referring to President Donald Trump. –