Tillerson and Saudi crown prince discuss combating terrorism
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince, Mohammed bin Salman, and the US secretary of state, Rex Tillerson, discussed combating terrorism and improving regional security during a phone call.
Mr Tillerson phoned Prince Mohammed on Monday, shortly after meeting Qatar’s foreign minister, Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani, in Washington.
“During the telephone conversation, they discussed relations between their countries, ways to combat terrorism and their joint efforts to enhance security and stability in the region,” the state-run Saudi Press Agency reported.
Details of Mr Tillerson’s meeting with the Qatari minister were not released but it came as a quartet of Arab countries – the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt – boycott Doha over its links to extremist groups and interference in the affairs of other countries in the region.
Yesterday, Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad, the brother of the Qatari leader, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad, delivered a message from his brother in person to the emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmed.
The Kuwait News Agency did not disclose details of the message but it was thought to be related to the crisis and the probable postponement of the next GCC summit, due to be held in Kuwait next month.
Sheikh Sabah has played the role of chief mediator during the six-month dispute and some had hoped it would be resolved during Kuwait’s hosting of the 38th GCC summit.
But on Monday, a Qatari official urged the quartet to allow their nationals to attend the World Cup in Doha in 2022 – an indication that Qatar expects the crisis to last long past December.
Hassan Al Thawadi, the secretary general of Qatar’s supreme committee for delivery and legacy, said Doha had been forced to find new suppliers of construction materials for its World Cup projects since the boycott was imposed but insisted that the timeline for these projects has not changed.
The Arab quartet cut all diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar on June 5.
The US is a key ally of all four boycotting countries but also has close ties with Qatar, where its largest military presence in the region is based.
Mr Tillerson has urged both sides to come to the table for talks, saying that those looking to destabilise the region will be able to take advantage of the dispute.