Restoring ties between Qatar and the UAE … a new step in Saudi efforts for “zero problems”

In the latest development in the file to end the division between the Gulf countries, both Qatar And the UAE opened its embassies on Monday, June 19. The development comes after nearly six years of tension between the two countries, which came against the backdrop of the 2017 boycott of Doha by the Arab Quartet: Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which it accuses of supporting extremist groups and being close to Iran. .

Qatar’s embassy in Abu Dhabi, its embassy in Dubai and the UAE embassy in Doha have decided to resume work from Monday, according to a statement released by Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The announcement was made “on the basis of the Al-Ula Agreement and the interest of both countries to strengthen bilateral relations,” the statement added. According to an official statement, both sides affirmed that the move is an embodiment of the will of the leaderships of both countries and reinforces the march of joint Arab action to achieve the aspirations of both countries. Brother people.

At the same time, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported that Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani received a phone call from his Emirati Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Saeed Al Nahyan. Exchanged on the occasion of the resumption of diplomatic representation between the two countries.” For both countries.”

The agency said the two sides reviewed “fraternal relations between the two countries and ways to enhance cooperation in various fields to achieve the interests of the two brotherly peoples” and “exchange views on regional and international developments.” Issues of Common Concern.”

Preliminary measures

As Qatar had announced in April that efforts were being made for this, this announcement did not come as a surprise United Arab Emirates to re-exchange diplomatic representation In the coming weeks. “Technical teams are now carrying out their work in this context and it is expected that there will be mutual visits to consider procedures for reopening embassies,” said Majid Al-Ansari, spokesman for the Qatari Foreign Ministry. Affairs, he said then.

Relations between the two Gulf countries have seen solid growth over the past year, represented by official visits by officials from both countries and permanent contacts to promote cooperation and the translation of the Al-Ula Summit outputs.

What is the summit of Al-Ula?

On January 5, 2021, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hosted the Gulf Reconciliation Summit in the city of Al-Ula, which aimed to end the rift between the Gulf countries and the emirates, and issued a statement emphasizing the ties of cooperation between the two countries. GCC countries and work to strengthen them in the political, security, economic and health sectors.

The Al-Ula Declaration, signed by the Gulf Cooperation Council, emphasized the need to achieve cooperation, interdependence and coordination among the GCC countries in all fields, with the exception of Egypt. Elements of economic unity and collective security and defense systems and crystallizing a unified foreign policy.” Military integration…”

Since that summit, events have followed a gradual exit from the shadow of the “siege” imposed on Qatar. Saudi Arabia was the first country to end the boycott with Qatar and sent back its ambassador to Doha, so that Qatar would later appoint an ambassador to Riyadh, following which it “signed a protocol to establish the Saudi-Qatari Coordination Council.”

Then it started again Egypt’s relations with QatarOn January 20, 2021, the two countries agreed to resume diplomatic relations between the two countries after the return of air traffic between the two countries.

Delay in restoring relations with Bahrain

As for Bahrain, the situation remained the same until last April when the two countries announced that their diplomatic relations would return to normal.

Observers believe that Bahrain’s stance on Qatar is somewhat different from that of other Gulf states that have boycotted Doha. The Shiite-majority Kingdom of Bahrain, which is ruled by Sunnis, has always viewed developing relations with its Gulf neighbors with suspicion. Manama has lodged repeated complaints with Doha over Al-Jazeera’s coverage of protests raging in Bahrain at the start of the so-called “Arab Spring”.

But in the background of this there is a border dispute between the two countries regarding the Hawar Archipelago comprising 14 islands. The two countries struggled to contain the issue until it reached a climax in 1986, when the issue almost turned into armed conflict, had it not been for Saudi Arabia’s intervention at the time.

“Whistle Problems” section

All this comes at a time when the Arab region is moving towards a phase of “zero problems”, which means resolving thorny and tense files in the light of major developments taking place in the world. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the leader of the superpowers, is seeking to implement it by resuming its ties with Iran, its rapprochement with China, its dialogue with Turkey and strengthening its presence in Iraq. , without losing its role in bringing Syria back into the Arab League. Before all this, there was a push towards achieving a Gulf reconciliation.