Emir of Qatar calls Saudi crown prince and agrees to discuss demands
Riyadh suspends any dialogue with Doha, after a phone call during which the Saudi crown prince welcomed the Qatari ruler's desire to sit at the dialogue table and discuss the demands of the four boycotting Arab states.
Saudi Arabia’s crown prince Mohammed bin Salman received a phone call on Friday from Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani, state media from both countries reported on Saturday.
The kingdom suspended any dialogue with Qatar, accusing it of "distorting facts," just after a report of the phone call between the leaders of both countries suggested a breakthrough in the Gulf dispute.
“During the call, the Emir of Qatar expressed his desire to sit at the dialogue table and discuss the demands of the four countries to ensure the interests of all,” Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.
"Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud welcomed the desire of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani."
“The details will be announced later after the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concludes an understanding with the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Bahrain and the Arab Republic of Egypt,” the report further said.
Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt announced on June 5 they had cut diplomatic and economic ties with Qatar, accusing it of bankrolling terrorist groups and of being too close to Iran.
They also shut down air, maritime and land links and imposed economic sanctions on Qatar. The Arab states also objected to a Turkish military base situated in Qatar.
The gas-rich emirate denied the claims and accused the four countries of attacking its sovereignty.