The Kuwaiti Foreign Minister announced that Saudi Arabia has reopened its airspace and its land and sea borders with Qatar, today, Monday, after more than three years of severing relations between the two Gulf countries.

And based on the proposal of the Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, it was agreed to open the airspace, as well as the land and sea borders between Saudi Arabia and Qatar, starting tonight (Monday). Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah in a televised statement.

This announcement comes on the eve of the upcoming summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in which it is possible to reach a reconciliation between Riyadh and several other countries in the region with Qatar.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of supporting Islamists, colluding with Iran and causing problems in the region.

The rich and ambitious emirate always denies this and condemns the “siege” it claims to be a victim of.

The Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, announced today, Monday, after several absences, that he will travel to Saudi Arabia this time to participate in the Gulf Cooperation Council summit, in a promising sign of reconciliation.

His Highness’s office said in a statement on Monday that the Emir will participate in the meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, in Al-Ula Governorate in the sisterly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The United States, interested in uniting the Arab countries against Iran, has pushed for reconciliation between the warring states in the Gulf region, all of whom are strategic partners of Washington.

The boycott with Qatar by Saudi Arabia was accompanied by measures such as closing the borders and airspace to Qatari aircraft, as well as restricting the movement of the citizens of the small emirate.

sl-aem / hj / mar / eg