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14-04-2023
DOHA: Qatar and Bahrain are resolving a years-long dispute and restoring diplomatic ties.
Delegates from the two countries met on Wednesday at the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) General Secretariat in the Saudi capital, Riyadh, the countries’ foreign ministries said in separate statements.
Both sides met to “enhance the Gulf unity and integration according to the GCC Charter”, Qatar’s foreign ministry said in its statement.
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Secretary-General Ahmed bin Hassan al-Hammadi met with Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Political Affairs Sheikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa to discuss resolving a feud that dates back to 2017.
That year, Bahrain, along with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, imposed a diplomatic blockade on Qatar over claims it was too close to Iran and backed hardline groups, allegations Doha has always firmly denied.
Back in January, Bahrain’s crown prince and the Qatari emir had a phone call to discuss their differences, in a move that foreshadowed thawing relations between the two.
The four Arab countries had banned Qatari planes and ships from using their airspace and waters, and cut trade links. In 2021, however, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt resumed these ties, although the UAE and Qatar have yet to open their respective embassies.
Bahrain’s dispute with Qatar centred mostly on the latter’s relationship with Iran and issues along their maritime border.
The restoration of ties comes amid a number of other efforts to resolve regional disputes, including between Iran and Saudi Arabia.
In January 2023, Bahrain’s crown prince and the Qatari emir have held a phone conversation, according to Bahraini state media, in a sign the two Gulf States could move towards repairing ties two years after the lifting of a regional boycott of Qatar.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt in January 2021 ended a three-and-half-year blockade on Qatar but since then there have been no bilateral discussions between Doha and Manama to resolve differences.
BNA state news agency said that in Wednesday’s call with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Bahrain’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa “emphasized the importance of joint efforts to resolve all outstanding differences”.
“It was also agreed that officials from both countries will continue to communicate to achieve common goals,” BNA’s readout of the call added.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia and Iran’s foreign ministers have met in Beijing for the first formal gathering since China brokered a deal to restore relations between the top regional powers last month.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and his Iranian counterpart, Hossein Amirabdollahian, shook hands in the Chinese capital on Thursday.
The officials said they have agreed to follow up on arrangements to reopen their diplomatic missions in their respective countries, to encourage visits of official and private delegations, and to facilitate visas for Iranian and Saudi citizens. They also agreed to discuss resuming flights between them.
“The technical teams will continue coordination to examine the ways of expanding cooperation including the resumption of flights and bilateral visits of official and private sector delegations and facilitating the granting of visas for the citizens of the two countries,” read a joint statement. (Int’l Monitoring Desk)
