Reconciliation GCC summit gets under way

A Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) summit focused on ending Qatar's long-running diplomatic dispute with Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and non GCC-member Egypt has begun in al-Ula in northwestern Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's de facto leader, crown prince Mohammad bin Salman, welcomed Qatar's head of state, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, as he arrived at al-Ula airport earlier. Live footage broadcast by semi-official al-Arabyia TV showed the Saudi crown prince breaking social distancing protocols by warmly embracing the Qatari leader — an indication that Riyadh and Doha could be on the brink of normalising their relations almost four years after the political rift opened up.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed an economic blockade on Qatar in June 2017 over its alleged support and financing for groups that they regard as terrorists. Qatar strongly denied the charge and accused the four countries of trying to undermine its sovereignty. As a gesture of goodwill, Saudi Arabia announced yesterday that it is opening its land and sea borders and its airspace to Qatar.

GCC member Kuwait, which played a key role in mediating an end to the dispute between Riyadh and Doha, is being represented at today's summit by the country's emir, Sheikh Nawaf al-Ahmad al-Jaber al-Sabah. But other countries have sent lower-level delegations. The UAE is being represented by vice-president and leader of Dubai Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashed al-Maktoum. UAE president Sheikh Khalifah bin Zayed al-Nayhan is unable to attend for health reasons, but Abu Dhabi's crown prince Mohammad bin Zayed al-Nahyan, de facto ruler of the UAE's largest and most powerful emirate, is not attending. Bahrain's King Hamad al-Khalifah is also not attending. The country is being represented by crown prince Salman bin Hamad al-Khalifa in what could be a sign of Bahrain's displeasure at Riyadh's rapprochement with Doha.

GCC member Oman, which remained neutral throughout the dispute, has sent a delegation headed by deputy prime minister Fahd bin Mahmoud al-Said, but that continues a tradition of non-attendance by the late Sultan Qaboos, whose ill health precluded his attendance at previous GCC summits. Oman also prefers to keep its commitment to the GCC looser than other members, allowing it to adopt a more independent political course. Despite not being a GCC member, Egypt is also attending today's summit, with President Abdul Fattah Sisi sending his foreign minister Sameh Shukry to represent the north African country.

Saudi crown prince Mohammad bin Salman said yesterday that the meeting would see an end to the dispute and would be "a summit that brings us together and unifies us, and enhances our path of prosperity and progress". But it remains unclear to what extent the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt are willing to normalise their relations with Qatar.

Ahead of the summit, a tweet from UAE foreign affairs minister Anwar Gargash indicated that his country may make its own reconciliation with Qatar, conditional on meeting certain demands. "We are keen to ensure that the security, stability and prosperity of our countries and peoples are the first priority," he said on Twitter. "We have more work to do and we are moving in the right direction."

Egypt may continue to press its demands that Qatar cease its support for the Muslim Brotherhood before normalising relations. President Sisi overthrew his predecessor, Mohammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood, in 2013, and the group was subsequently outlawed in Egypt.

By Samira Kawar