Daijiworld Media Network – Riyadh
Riyadh, Jan 5: Kuwaiti officials announced that Saudi Arabia and Qatar have agreed to reopen their airspace and maritime borders starting Monday, ending a three-year-old dispute.
It may be recalled, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have boycotted Qatar since mid-2017 after it was found to be supporting terrorism. While Qatar, which shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia, rejected the accusations, calling them ‘unjustified’ and ‘baseless’.
Abu Samra border crossing between Saudi Arabia and Qatar
Sources from the US administration informed on Monday that President Donald Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner, helped negotiate the reopening between the two countries. Gulf Arab leaders are expected to gather in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday December 5 for Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) annual summit that is expected to announce a deal towards ending the dispute.
Representatives from Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will attend the event. The Qatari Emir will also attend the summit, his first visit to the country in three years
Kuwaiti foreign minister Ahmad Nasser Mohammed al Sabah said that a declaration would be signed at the summit. Kuwait has been mediating between Qatar and the Arab states.