WORLD BULLETINS

Erdogan visit is peace mission

TURKEY’S president has waded into the diplomatic crisis gripping Qatar and four other Arab nations.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose country has deployed troops to Qatar, travelled to Saudi Arabia at the start of a three-country Gulf tour aimed at helping break the impasse.

Mr Erdogan is the fifth high-level visitor from outside the Gulf to try to resolve the dispute since it erupted on June 5.

Top diplomats of the UK, France, Germany and the US have all been through already, underscoring the depth of concern the crisis is causing.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain cut ties and transport links with Qatar in early June, accusing it of supporting extremists. Qatar strongly denies the allegation.