Just hours after the historic embrace between <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/in-historic-turn-saudi-crown-prince-mohammed-bin-salman-embraces-qatar-emir-354655">Saudi</a> Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi Arabia said it had reestablished full ties with Qatar.

"What happened today is... the turning of the page on all points of difference and a full return of diplomatic relations," Prince Faisal bin Farhan at the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) summit at al-Ula in Saudi Arabia.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/why-saudi-arabia-cut-diplomatic-ties-with-qatar-in-2017-354675">Also Read:&nbsp;Why Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017</a>

Leaders of the six-member GCC signed two documents and a final communique as it sought to restore ties with Qatar.

The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt had taken part in a three and a half year blockade of Qatar accusing it of siding with radical forces in the region, an allegation it vehemently denied. Qatar's closeness with Iran also angered GCC.

However on Tuesday, the Gulf leaders signed the "solidarity and stability" deal bringing Qatar back into its economic fold.

"The Al-Ula Declaration "affirms our Gulf, Arab and Islamic solidarity and stability," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared <a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/trump-senior-aide-kushner-and-team-meets-saudi-arabias-mbs-emit-of-qatar-347783">Kushner</a> attended the signing in Al-Ula signifying the influence of the US government in latest peace moves. Amid the new friendship wave, Kuwait said an agreement had been reached to open all borders between Saudi and Qatar with immediate effect.&nbsp;

GCC countries along with Egypt had blocked its airspace to Qatari planes and sealed their borders and port. Qatari citizens were also expelled from various GCC countries.

The GCC countries had put forward a list of 13 demands to Qatar to fulfil at the start of the standoff including the closure of the famous Al Jazeera television and shutting of Turkish military base, however, Qatar has not publicly bowed to any of the demands.

Just hours after the historic embrace between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi Arabia said it had reestablished full ties with Qatar.

Just hours after the historic embrace between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Qatar's emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, Saudi Arabia said it had reestablished full ties with Qatar. "What happened today is... the turning of the page on all points of difference and a full return of diplomatic relations," Prince Faisal bin Farhan at the Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) summit at al-Ula in Saudi Arabia. Also Read: Why Saudi Arabia cut diplomatic ties with Qatar in 2017 Leaders of the six-member GCC signed two documents and a final communique as it sought to restore ties with Qatar. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt had taken part in a three and a half year blockade of Qatar accusing it of siding with radical forces in the region, an allegation it vehemently denied. Qatar's closeness with Iran also angered GCC. However on Tuesday, the Gulf leaders signed the "solidarity and stability" deal bringing Qatar back into its economic fold. "The Al-Ula Declaration "affirms our Gulf, Arab and Islamic solidarity and stability," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said. US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner attended the signing in Al-Ula signifying the influence of the US government in latest peace moves. Amid the new friendship wave, Kuwait said an agreement had been reached to open all borders between Saudi and Qatar with immediate effect. GCC countries along with Egypt had blocked its airspace to Qatari planes and sealed their borders and port. Qatari citizens were also expelled from various GCC countries. The GCC countries had put forward a list of 13 demands to Qatar to fulfil at the start of the standoff including the closure of the famous Al Jazeera television and shutting of Turkish military base, however, Qatar has not publicly bowed to any of the demands.

After royal embrace, Saudi Arabia restores full ties with Qatar

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraced <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/breakthrough-saudi-arabia-qatar-to-sign-us-brokered-deal-to-ease-gulf-crisis-354486">Qatar's </a>emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on the airport tarmac in Saudi Arabia as Gulf leaders signed a "solidarity and stability" deal on Tuesday.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/wion-fineprint-kuwait-qatar-flag-movement-on-resolving-gulf-row-347575/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opened the Gulf Arab summit at the historic city of Al-Ula as the prince took aim at Iran and lauded a deal towards ending a long-running dispute with <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strong-support-from-president-trump-saudi-arabia-says-final-agreement-with-qatar-within-reach-347759">Qatar</a>.

"There is a desperate need today to unite our efforts to promote our region and to confront challenges that surround us, especially the threats posed by the Iranian regime's nuclear and ballistic missile programme and its plans for sabotage and destruction," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said.

"These efforts ... led to the al-Ula agreement which will be signed at this blessed summit and which confirms Gulf, Arab and Islamic unity and stability," Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler added.

United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain had severed ties with Qatar in 2017 over allegations Doha supported terrorism which it stridently denied.

Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law who has been an active hand in various peace deals in the past few months attended the signing in Al-Ula.

Kuwaiti foreign minister Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah had said on Monday the country has agreed to open the airspace and land and sea borders between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar, starting from this evening" as the Gulf states moved to break the deadlock with Qatar.

Leaders of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC)&nbsp;signed two documents, the Al-Ula declaration and and a final communique. However, the contents of the document wasn't immediately released.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraced Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on the airport tarmac in Saudi Arabia as Gulf leaders signed a "solidarity and stability" deal on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraced Qatar's emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, on the airport tarmac in Saudi Arabia as Gulf leaders signed a "solidarity and stability" deal on Tuesday. Watch: Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman opened the Gulf Arab summit at the historic city of Al-Ula as the prince took aim at Iran and lauded a deal towards ending a long-running dispute with Qatar. "There is a desperate need today to unite our efforts to promote our region and to confront challenges that surround us, especially the threats posed by the Iranian regime's nuclear and ballistic missile programme and its plans for sabotage and destruction," Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said. "These efforts ... led to the al-Ula agreement which will be signed at this blessed summit and which confirms Gulf, Arab and Islamic unity and stability," Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler added. United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain had severed ties with Qatar in 2017 over allegations Doha supported terrorism which it stridently denied. Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump's son-in-law who has been an active hand in various peace deals in the past few months attended the signing in Al-Ula. Kuwaiti foreign minister Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah had said on Monday the country has agreed to open the airspace and land and sea borders between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the State of Qatar, starting from this evening" as the Gulf states moved to break the deadlock with Qatar. Leaders of the six-member Gulf Cooperation Council(GCC) signed two documents, the Al-Ula declaration and and a final communique. However, the contents of the document wasn't immediately released.

In historic turn, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman embraces Qatar emir

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/strong-support-from-president-trump-saudi-arabia-says-final-agreement-with-qatar-within-reach-347759">Qatar's</a> Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani on Tuesday over the phone as the two leaders discussed cooperation between both countries in the fields of investment flows and energy security.&nbsp;

Both leaders decided to set up special a task force to further facilitate investments by the Qatar Investment Authority(QIA) into India and explore Qatari investments in the energy value-chain in India.

Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) manages over $300 billion worth of sovereign wealth funds globally. QIA reportedly manages over $300 billion worth of sovereign wealth funds globally.&nbsp;

Sheikh Tamim also conveyed the country's appreciation for the Indian community which participates in Qatar's&nbsp;annual National Day celebrations.

The strengthing of India and Qatar ties comes amid reports that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt which had cut ties with Qatar in June 2017 would likely be restoring ties once again, reports said.

The Gulf states had closed their airspace to Qatari aircraft and sealed their borders three years ago. Saudi Arabia's closure of its airspace to Qatar Airways had forced it to fly over Iran. 
&nbsp;

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Qatar's Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani on Tuesday over the phone as the two leaders discussed cooperation between both countries in the fields of investment flows and energy security.

India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Qatar's Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani on Tuesday over the phone as the two leaders discussed cooperation between both countries in the fields of investment flows and energy security. Both leaders decided to set up special a task force to further facilitate investments by the Qatar Investment Authority(QIA) into India and explore Qatari investments in the energy value-chain in India. Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) manages over $300 billion worth of sovereign wealth funds globally. QIA reportedly manages over $300 billion worth of sovereign wealth funds globally. Sheikh Tamim also conveyed the country's appreciation for the Indian community which participates in Qatar's annual National Day celebrations. The strengthing of India and Qatar ties comes amid reports that Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt which had cut ties with Qatar in June 2017 would likely be restoring ties once again, reports said. The Gulf states had closed their airspace to Qatari aircraft and sealed their borders three years ago. Saudi Arabia's closure of its airspace to Qatar Airways had forced it to fly over Iran.

PM Modi speaks to Qatar's Sheikh Tamim; discuss investment & energy security

Prime Minister Imran Khan met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad on Tuesday and the two leaders discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and regional and international matters of mutual interest.

Khan, who flew to Doha on Monday at the invitation of the Qatari emir, held a one-on-one meeting with Sheikh Tamim followed by the delegation-level talks, Radio Pakistan reported.

"Both sides discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and regional and international matters of mutual interest," it said.

Besides meetings with Qatari leadership, the prime minister is expected to meet the business and investment community of Qatar, and to address the Pakistani community during the visit.

Prime Minister Khan had discussed bilateral relations with a focus on economic cooperation in a meeting with the Qatari premier and interior minister, Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani on Monday, Dawn reported.

Changing its long-standing position, the Pakistan government has decided to request Qatar for a reduction in the price of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and its supplies on delayed payments under the existing 15-year supply contract, the paper said.

Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has been criticising the contracts signed by the previous PML-N government for the import of LNG from Qatar at a price equivalent to 13.39 per cent of the international benchmark crude oil price, and two terminals set up by the private sector for re-gasifying imported LNG.

Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that the government would abide by the 15-year agreement with Qatar and another 10-year contract with another supplier that became the basis of the final LNG price with Qatar.

Khan is accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar and Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Imran Khan met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad on Tuesday and the two leaders discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and regional and international matters of mutual interest.

Prime Minister Imran Khan met Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad on Tuesday and the two leaders discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and regional and international matters of mutual interest. Khan, who flew to Doha on Monday at the invitation of the Qatari emir, held a one-on-one meeting with Sheikh Tamim followed by the delegation-level talks, Radio Pakistan reported. "Both sides discussed the entire spectrum of bilateral ties and regional and international matters of mutual interest," it said. Besides meetings with Qatari leadership, the prime minister is expected to meet the business and investment community of Qatar, and to address the Pakistani community during the visit. Prime Minister Khan had discussed bilateral relations with a focus on economic cooperation in a meeting with the Qatari premier and interior minister, Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani on Monday, Dawn reported. Changing its long-standing position, the Pakistan government has decided to request Qatar for a reduction in the price of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and its supplies on delayed payments under the existing 15-year supply contract, the paper said. Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has been criticising the contracts signed by the previous PML-N government for the import of LNG from Qatar at a price equivalent to 13.39 per cent of the international benchmark crude oil price, and two terminals set up by the private sector for re-gasifying imported LNG. Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan said that the government would abide by the 15-year agreement with Qatar and another 10-year contract with another supplier that became the basis of the final LNG price with Qatar. Khan is accompanied by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Finance Minister Asad Umar and Petroleum Minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan.

Pakistan PM Imran Khan meets Qatari Emir; discusses bilateral ties

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will travel to Qatar and Kuwait from October 28 to 31 in pursuit of India's objective of enhanced engagement with the Gulf region.

She will have engagements in Qatar on October 28 and 29 and in Kuwait on October 30 and 31, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement.

During her visit to Qatar, Swaraj will interact with her counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister. She will also call on Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar. During her visit, she will also interact with the Indian community in Doha, the MEA said.

India and Qatar share millennia old historic multi-dimensional, relations.

The bilateral visit of the Emir of Qatar in March 2015 and Prime Minister of Qatar to India in December 2016 and that of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Qatar in June 2016 have further boosted traditionally cordial and close ties between the two countries, the MEA said.

Qatar hosts about seven lakh Indians who form the largest expatriate community there. Qatar is a reliable energy partner, supplying more than 50 per cent of India's natural gas imports, it said.

India's bilateral trade with Qatar in 2017-18 was $ 9.9 billion, the MEA said.

The next leg of the visit would be to Kuwait, where Swaraj will hold a bilateral meeting with her counterpart Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait.

She will also call on the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and interact with the Indian community.

India and Kuwait have close and friendly bilateral relations. Kuwait is a reliable energy supplier to India and hosts about 10 lakh Indians forming the largest expatriate community. India's bilateral trade with Kuwait in 2017-18 was $ 8.5 billion, the MEA said.

This will be Swaraj's first visit as External Affairs Minister to both the countries.

The visit is in pursuit of India's objective of enhanced engagement with the Gulf region which is in India's extended neighbourhood.

It will provide an opportunity to hold in-depth discussions with the political leadership on a wide range of global, regional and bilateral issues and will advance India's growing engagement with these countries in particular and the region in general, the MEA added.&nbsp;

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will travel to Qatar and Kuwait from October 28 to 31 in pursuit of India's objective of enhanced engagement with the Gulf region.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will travel to Qatar and Kuwait from October 28 to 31 in pursuit of India's objective of enhanced engagement with the Gulf region. She will have engagements in Qatar on October 28 and 29 and in Kuwait on October 30 and 31, the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement. During her visit to Qatar, Swaraj will interact with her counterpart Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister. She will also call on Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Emir of Qatar. During her visit, she will also interact with the Indian community in Doha, the MEA said. India and Qatar share millennia old historic multi-dimensional, relations. The bilateral visit of the Emir of Qatar in March 2015 and Prime Minister of Qatar to India in December 2016 and that of the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Qatar in June 2016 have further boosted traditionally cordial and close ties between the two countries, the MEA said. Qatar hosts about seven lakh Indians who form the largest expatriate community there. Qatar is a reliable energy partner, supplying more than 50 per cent of India's natural gas imports, it said. India's bilateral trade with Qatar in 2017-18 was $ 9.9 billion, the MEA said. The next leg of the visit would be to Kuwait, where Swaraj will hold a bilateral meeting with her counterpart Sheikh Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait. She will also call on the Emir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and interact with the Indian community. India and Kuwait have close and friendly bilateral relations. Kuwait is a reliable energy supplier to India and hosts about 10 lakh Indians forming the largest expatriate community. India's bilateral trade with Kuwait in 2017-18 was $ 8.5 billion, the MEA said. This will be Swaraj's first visit as External Affairs Minister to both the countries. The visit is in pursuit of India's objective of enhanced engagement with the Gulf region which is in India's extended neighbourhood. It will provide an opportunity to hold in-depth discussions with the political leadership on a wide range of global, regional and bilateral issues and will advance India's growing engagement with these countries in particular and the region in general, the MEA added.

Sushma Swaraj to visit Qatar, Kuwait from October 28

<h2 data-reactid=".1.0.1.0.1.2.$tag=2reuters=1com,2016=2newsml_KCN0YS16K=23.1.0.0.0.1" data-text="Qatar reassures India after Modi raises abuse of migrant workers" dir="auto" title="Qatar reassures India after Modi raises abuse of migrant workers">During his&nbsp;official visit to Qatar,&nbsp;Indian Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi discussed&nbsp;with&nbsp;Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani&nbsp;the plight of the&nbsp;630 thousand&nbsp;Indian nationals working in the&nbsp;country.&nbsp;Many of them work in low paid construction jobs, building stadiums and other infrastructures for the 2022 World Cup. Unions and labour protests are banned, and&nbsp;dissent is punished with jail or deportation. 
 
Qatar declsared to be on&nbsp;its way to implement a labour law which would protect the interest&nbsp;of both skilled and unskilled labour.</h2>

A delegation of workers interacted directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reporting&nbsp;squalid living conditions,&nbsp;cases of salaries&nbsp;witheld for months and&nbsp;passports confiscated by employers.&nbsp; 
 
In March, Amnesty International stated that&nbsp;migrants faced several abuses and&nbsp;in some cases even&nbsp;forced labour. Qatar&#39;s Kafala System, the&nbsp;set of rules&nbsp;under which migrant workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without their employer&#39;s permission,&nbsp;is believed to be at the heart of the problem. 
 
The new&nbsp;law will abolish&nbsp;Kafala&nbsp;and remove&nbsp;restrictions on&nbsp;worker movements. Migrants will no longer be forced to continue a job if there is abuse or exploitation, but domestic workers are excluded from this law. 
 
This will&nbsp;not only impact the community of Indian workers, the largest in the Gulf country,&nbsp;but also many other South Asian workers from Nepal,&nbsp;Bangladesh and Pakistan. 
? 
With bilateral trade in 2014/15 exceeding $15 billion, the &nbsp;Emirate is an important economic partner for Delhi, as well as&nbsp;one of its key sources of crude oil.

<div dir="auto">&nbsp;</div>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed optimism&nbsp;and beside thanking Quatar for its hospitality, he said he believed that the government&nbsp;would respond positively to challenges faced by the Indian community in the country.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;People here are very fond of Indians, they trust Indians, and I am sure&nbsp;they will respond positively,&quot; he said addressing Indian workers. 
(Reuters)

Facing criticism, Qatar briefs Indian Prime Minister on a new labour law meant to stop the miserable conditions of Indian labourers

During his official visit to Qatar, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi discussed with Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani the plight of the 630 thousand Indian nationals working in the country. Many of them work in low paid construction jobs, building stadiums and other infrastructures for the 2022 World Cup. Unions and labour protests are banned, and dissent is punished with jail or deportation. Qatar declsared to be on its way to implement a labour law which would protect the interest of both skilled and unskilled labour. A delegation of workers interacted directly with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, reporting squalid living conditions, cases of salaries witheld for months and passports confiscated by employers. In March, Amnesty International stated that migrants faced several abuses and in some cases even forced labour. Qatar's Kafala System, the set of rules under which migrant workers cannot change jobs or leave the country without their employer's permission, is believed to be at the heart of the problem. The new law will abolish Kafala and remove restrictions on worker movements. Migrants will no longer be forced to continue a job if there is abuse or exploitation, but domestic workers are excluded from this law. This will not only impact the community of Indian workers, the largest in the Gulf country, but also many other South Asian workers from Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. ? With bilateral trade in 2014/15 exceeding $15 billion, the Emirate is an important economic partner for Delhi, as well as one of its key sources of crude oil. Prime Minister Narendra Modi showed optimism and beside thanking Quatar for its hospitality, he said he believed that the government would respond positively to challenges faced by the Indian community in the country. "People here are very fond of Indians, they trust Indians, and I am sure they will respond positively," he said addressing Indian workers. (Reuters)

Qatar ready to tackle the plight of foreign labourers