All 6 Gulf alliance nations to attend Saudi summit to improve relations

Nov. 19 (UPI) -- All six members of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf will attend a summit in Saudi Arabia next month in a bid to ease tensions in the region, officials said Monday.

Kuwaiti Deputy Foreign Minister Khalid al-Jarallah said in a statement he hoped tension between Qatar and fellow member countries can be eased in the two-day conference.

The alliance, also called the Gulf Cooperation Council, includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.

Since mid-2017, Qatar has been cut off diplomatically and economically from the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Bahrain after it was charged with supporting terrorism and interfering in the internal affairs of those countries, Russian news agency Sputnik and UrduPoint News reported.

Qatar is expected to appear at the upcoming summit in Riyadh, after mediation between the country and the other Arab states was brokered by Kuwait.

"I am optimistic that the level of representation is expected to be high and reflects the keenness of GCC leaders to maintain this pioneering experience," al-Jarallah said in a statement via the Kuwait News Agency.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said he regrets the ongoing conflict, Al Jazeera reported.

One of the sticking points is Qatar's continued friendly relationship with Iran, which has not been supported by other Arab nations. Saudi Arabia and the UAE have supported Yemen in its long-running civil war against Tehran-backed Houthi rebels.

Qatar Defense Minister Khalid bin Mohammad al-Attiyah said Doha keeps "friendly relations with everyone."

"We are responsible for the supply of (an enormous amount) of the world's energy," al-Attiyah said. "We have to have a smooth flow of energy, and that means we have to eliminate having enemies."