Qatar Crisis Draws Mediation Efforts as Saudis Tighten Screws

EghtesadOnline: Kuwait’s ruler is stepping up his efforts to resolve the deepest crisis in the history of the Gulf Cooperation Council after Saudi Arabia and its allies pushed to isolate Qatar by cutting off air and sea transport and closing the tiny nation’s only land border.

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06 June 2017

Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah will travel to Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to try to mediate an end to the crisis, according to a Gulf government official with knowledge of the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity. Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani delayed a televised address to the nation on Monday to allow Kuwaiti efforts a chance to succeed, the Qatari foreign minister told the Al Jazeera television.

President Donald Trump also wants to “de-escalate” the crisis and is committed to holding talks with all parties, White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders told reporters Monday. Earlier, the Saudis and three regional allies -- the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain -- suspended flights and sea travel to Qatar, escalating a row and sending Qatari stocks plunging more than 7 percent on Monday, though there’s been no immediate impact on Gulf energy exports.

Saudi Arabia accused its fellow Gulf Cooperation Council member of supporting a range of violent groups, from proxies of Shiite Muslim Iran to the Sunni militants of Islamic State. Qatar dismissed the charges as baseless, and said the Saudis are seeking to dominate their smaller neighbor.

Qatari stocks gained 2.8 percent at 10:03 a.m. in Doha.