TRUMP IN OVERTURES TO GULF LEADERS
▶ Washington discussions to include planning GCC summit and Qatar row
US President Donald Trump will in the next couple of months meet senior officials from Gulf countries, a US official source said.
Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reported to be planning a visit to the US next month, in his first trip there since he became Crown Prince last year
But Reuters quoted a US official as saying other Gulf leaders including Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad are also set for separate visits with Mr Trump in March and April.
These trips are as yet unconfirmed by Gulf officials.
The US official said the leaders would discuss holding a GCC summit this year, the Middle East peace process and Iran.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt cut ties with Qatar in June over its support for terrorists and interference in the affairs of other nations.
“We would hope the dispute is resolved before the summit to allow maximum focus on other strategic concerns like Iran,” a US official said.
Washington is hoping to lay the groundwork for the summit in the summer.
Meanwhile, the Saudi Foreign Minister said Qatar was still in a state of denial and was propagating hatred through its media.
“The Qatar crisis is a small one compared to important issues in the region, and all we want is for them to stop using their media platforms to propagate hatred,” Adel Al Jubeir said during a lecture at the Egmont Institute in Brussels on Friday.
“Even though Qatar has signed agreements to stop supporting terrorism, that has still not completely happened. No doubt Qatar should transform from a state of denial to a state of realisation of the current situation in which it is living.”
Mr Al Jubeir reiterated that the Arab countries boycotting Qatar “want nothing but the end of terrorism”.
UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Dr Anwar Gargash, also commented on Qatar on Friday, saying that Doha’s situation is becoming more difficult.
“Playing on contradictions and managing them, which has characterised Qatar’s policy, has become harder and costlier,” Dr Gargash tweeted. “Balancing between supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and other extremists and relinquishing sovereignty to Iran and Turkey has become very difficult [on Doha].”
He said Qatar’s call for an EU-style security alliance that would include Iran and Turkey was “problematic”.
“First, it is an invitation by a secondary player and second, it is counterproductive to Arabs’ [goals] and contradicts the American direction towards Tehran,” Dr Gargash said.
Even though Qatar has signed agreements to stop supporting terrorism, that has still not completely happened ADEL AL JUBEIR Saudi Foreign Minister
Last week, Mr Al Jubeir said Saudi Arabia had no interest in taking part in an alliance, and that such a structure already existed, in reference to the GCC.
Mediation by Kuwait and the US has failed to end the rift between Qatar and its neighbours.
The four Arab countries, including Egypt, stand firm in their decision to boycott Qatar, saying they will only re-establish communications if Doha adheres to regional and international agreements to which it is a signatory and the demands and principles issued.
Doha has so far refused to meet the quartet’s 13 demands, including the closure of Qatar-owned Al Jazeera news channel, which they claim provides a platform for extremists and dissidents.