GCC summit offers hope to end dispute, says Kuwaiti minister

cairo — The next Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit, to be held in Riyadh next month, may be an opportunity to end the rift within the group, Kuwait’s deputy foreign minister was quoted as saying by state news agency Kuna.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and non-Gulf Cooperation Council member Egypt have imposed sanctions on GCC member Qatar accusing it of cozying up to Iran and supporting terrorism.

At last year’s GCC summit, held in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain sent ministers or deputy prime ministers, rather than heads of state.

Khalid Al Jarallah expressed optimism that this year’s summit will see a high level of representation from all member states.

“This summit is a glimpse of hope to revive the efforts of containing the long-standing gulf dispute”, Al Jarallah said.

All countries of the GCC will attend its next summit, in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Al Jarallah was seperately quoted as saying by Al

Rai newspaper.

“This is a gesture of optimism,” Al Jarallah added..

Meanwhile, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, and the Amir of Kuwait, His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah, discussed ways to further consolidate the robust ties between the two countries.

During a phone conversation, Sheikh Mohamed enquired about the health of the Kuwaiti Amir who expressed his thanks to the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince for his warm feelings. —