After royal embrace, Saudi Arabia restores full ties with Qatar
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman & Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani
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.
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.