The end of the dispute in the Gulf is a victory for the region, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister told CNBC, after announcing that relations between Qatar and four Arab countries have been fully restored.
The leaders of the Gulf and Egypt Cooperation Council signed an agreement on Tuesday aimed at strengthening unity and cohesion. The deal came more than three years after Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a blockade on trade and travel to Qatar.
“We managed to come up with the Al-Ula declaration, which leaves behind a dispute … between the four countries and Qatar,” said Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, referring to the agreement he takes the name of the ancient city of Al-Ula, where the leaders of the Arab nations met.
The region plunged into a crisis in 2017, when Saudi Arabia and its allies severed diplomatic and commercial ties with Qatar, accusing the tiny gas-rich nation of being too close to Iran and supporting terrorism. Doha denied these charges.
We firmly believe that the Al-Ula declaration resolves all outstanding issues and concerns that country parties would have.
Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud
Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia opened its airspace, land and sea borders on Monday to Qatar. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomed the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, when he arrived on Saudi soil.
Al-Saud said he believed the agreement would be a “very, very strong basis” for regional stability in the future.
Asked if it was a victory for the Trump administration that is stepping down, al-Saud said: “I think this agreement yields a victory for the region, in the first place, a victory for all of us.”
Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud holds a press conference at the end of the 41st summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in the city of al-Ula, in northwest Saudi Arabia, in January 5, 2021.
Fayez Nureldine | AFP | Getty Images
Even so, he acknowledged the support of the United States and Kuwait, which have mediated between Saudi Arabia and Qatar. “Certainly, President Trump and (senior adviser to the White House) Jared Kushner contributed to reaching this agreement, working closely with Kuwait, which has been working on this for some time,” he told CNBC Hadley Gamble.
It’s not about Iran or Washington
Saudi prince Mohammed bin Salman said on Tuesday that GCC unity is needed to meet challenges in the region, “particularly the threats posed by the Iranian regime’s nuclear program,” according to Arab News.
Foreign Minister Al-Saud told CNBC that the deal is for the sake of security in the region. “This agreement is not about Iran or anyone else. It is about bringing our countries together and ensuring that we work together to provide prosperity and security for our people.”
When asked whether Saudi Arabia may be trying to get the good graces of President-elect Joe Biden before taking office, he said: “This is not about Washington, but about the region and the priorities of our countries.”
Biden is expected to withdraw US support for the kingdom when he takes office.
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister said the Gulf nations will cooperate on security issues as well as economic integration.
“We firmly believe that the Al-Ula declaration resolves all outstanding issues and concerns that country parties would have, and that it lays the foundation for now a very strong and cooperative agenda for the GCC, and also for the region,” he said.