This week, Saudi Arabia and other GCC nations buried the hatchet with neighboring Qatar after a diplomatic standoff that lasted over three years. The two sides, working toward a fresh start in recent weeks, finalized the end of the feud at Tuesday’s 42nd GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia, reuniting to once again reinvigorate trade between the nations and form a bloc that will seek to counter the threats posed to them by neighboring Iran.
It didn’t take long for Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to publicly demonstrate the issue had been resolved. Shortly after Kuwait’s announcement that the 42-month long dispute between GCC nations and Qatar was resolved, Qatar’s Emir was on a flight to Saudi Arabia to attend Tuesday’s 42nd GCC summit in Al-Ula.
When he arrived in the Kingdom, his first visit to Saudi Arabia since the dispute began in June 2017, the Emir was received personally by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and the two leaders embraced, photos published by the Saudi Press Agency reveal.
GCC leaders arriving at Maraya Hall in #AlUla ahead of the #GCCSummit41 pic.twitter.com/USbEVgVPqc
— Foreign Ministry 🇸🇦 (@KSAmofaEN) January 5, 2021
Though a majority of the issues that caused the rift in the first place were not directly resolved, Crown Prince Mohammed clearly indicated he was willing to let bygones be bygones. And he used famous Saudi hospitality to show it. While it is common for a top Saudi leader to receive a visiting head of state or diplomat at the airport, it is a higher honor for Crown Prince Mohammed or King Salman to personally receive visiting leaders, a demonstration of respect reserved for special circumstances.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a meeting with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani at the Maraya Hall in the historic city of Al-Ula on Tuesday.
After the conclusion of the GCC meeting, in which the two sides signed an agreement to end the rift, the Crown Prince extended an invitation for a direct bilateral meeting between the two leaders at the Maraya Hall in the historic city of Al-Ula on Tuesday, and following the meeting, referred to the discussion between two “brotherly” nations – a term not used since the start of the rift in June 2017.
The Crown Prince then took Qatar’s emir Sheikh Al-Thani on a tour of Al-Ula’s heritage sites on Tuesday, where ancient stone monuments and other historic sites are set to become centerpieces of the Kingdom’s ambitious plans to attract tourism. Photos published by the Saudi Press Agency showed the two leaders together, walking around ancient sites with their delegations and touring the historic city of Al-Ula.
Later on Tuesday, Sheikh Tamim departed AlUla with his accompanying delegation. He was seen off personally by the Saudi crown prince.
According to Arab News, Sheikh Tamim sent telegrams thanking King Salman and the crown prince for their warm welcome and hospitality during the summit.
