Qatar’s siege ‘victory for the region’: Saudi Foreign Minister

Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister told CNBC that the outcome of the Gulf dispute was a victory for the region. Relations between Qatar and the four Arab countries have been fully restored.

Leaders The Gulf Cooperation Council and Egypt signed an agreement on Tuesday It aims to strengthen unity and harmony. The agreement comes more than three years after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed trade and travel sieges on Qatar.

“We have been able to achieve the declaration of al-Ula, which has caused a dispute between the four countries and Qatar,” said Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, citing al-Ula’s meeting with Arab leaders.

The region plunged into crisis in 2017, when Saudi Arabia and its allies severed diplomatic and trade ties, accusing the small gas-rich country of being too close to and supporting terrorism. Doha has denied the allegations.

We firmly believe that the Al-Ula announcement solves all the pending issues and concerns of the parties of the countries.

Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia opened its air, land and sea borders to Qatar on Monday. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraces and welcomes Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, when he arrives on Saudi soil.

Al-Saud said he considered the agreement to be “a very, very strong basis” for regional stability to move forward.

Asked if this was a victory for the outgoing Trump administration, al-Saud said: “This deal is a victory for the region, first and foremost, for all of us.”

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Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud held a press conference on January 5, 2021 at the conclusion of the 41st Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit in Al-Ula, Northwest Saudi Arabia.

Fais Neureldin | AFP | Getty Images

However, he acknowledged the support of the United States and Kuwait for mediating between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. “Of course, President Trump and (White House senior adviser) Jared Kushner contributed to reaching this agreement and have been working very closely with Kuwait for some time,” he told CNBC’s Hadley Campbell.

Not about Iran or Washington

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Tuesday that the GCC needs unity to meet the challenges in the region. “Threats, especially from the Iranian regime’s nuclear program,“According to the Arabic news.

Foreign Minister al-Sadr told CNBC that the agreement was for the security of the region. “This agreement is not about Iran or anyone else. It is about uniting our countries and ensuring that we work together to provide prosperity and security for our people.”

When asked if he would try to step down in the good grace of President-elect Joe Biden before taking office, he said: “This is not about Washington, it’s about the priorities of the region and our countries.”

Biden is expected Withdraw US support for the Kingdom when he takes office.

The Saudi foreign minister said the Gulf states would cooperate on security issues and economic integration.

“We hope that the Al-Ula announcement will address all the pending issues and concerns of the countries’ parties and that it now forms the basis of a much stronger, cooperative agenda for the GCC, the region,” he said.

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