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UAE President Visits Qatar As A Sign Of Warmer Relations
(CTN NEWS) – DOHA – On Monday, the UAE President visited Qatar for the first time since Saudi Arabia and three allies ended their boycott of Doha nearly two years ago.
He hailed Doha’s World Cup hosting as a “success” for all Arabs.
Before taking office as UAE President in May, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, the de facto ruler of the UAE for years, met with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani.
He then left for Abu Dhabi, where he was scheduled to meet with the president of Israel.
According to a diplomatic adviser to the president of the Emirati country Anwar Gargash on Twitter, this “is another step towards increasing Gulf solidarity and unified action.”
الزيارة الرسمية لصاحب السمو الشيخ محمد بن زايد الي دولة قطر الشقيقة اليوم ولقائه بصاحب السمو الشيخ تميم بن حمد خطوة أخرى نحو تعزيز التضامن والعمل الخليجي المشترك، مسار التعاون و التكامل و التنسيق خيار إماراتي استراتيجي نحو تحقيق الطموحات الخليجية المشتركة.
— د. أنور قرقاش (@AnwarGargash) December 5, 2022
The ban on Qatar, which had been in place for three and a half years, was lifted early last year by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt.
However, relations between Doha and Abu Dhabi did not progress as quickly as those with Riyadh and Cairo, which had restored diplomatic connections with Doha.
The president of Egypt and the crown prince of Saudi Arabia both attended the opening World Cup ceremony on November 20 in Doha, while the UAE sent Dubai’s ruler, who is also VP of the Gulf state.
The first Middle Eastern tournament hosted by Doha was described as “a success and an honor for all” Gulf states and the larger Arab world by Sheikh Mohammed, according to state media in the United Arab Emirates.
Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani meets with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Doha, Qatar, December 5, 2022.
The political issue that caused Riyadh and its allies to cut all connections with Qatar because it supported Islamist organizations they viewed as a threat to Gulf dynasty rule and its ties to adversaries Iran.
And Turkey had fractured the six-nation Gulf alliance.
Saudi Arabia and the UAE have since engaged with Shi’ite Muslim Iran to reduce tensions and repair relations with Turkey while concentrating on economic development.
The national security adviser for the UAE made two trips to Doha as part of Abu Dhabi’s efforts to resolve regional conflicts.
https://twitter.com/SaadAbedine/status/1541745422783451137
Bilateral discussions between Bahrain and Qatar are still pending. Like Manama, Abu Dhabi has resumed trade and travel ties with Qatar but has not named an envoy to Doha.
As a result of collaborations with Doha for daily shuttle flights with neighboring cities during the World Cup, the UAE was able to profit from an inflow of soccer enthusiasts.
Isaac Herzog, the Israeli president, arrived in Abu Dhabi on Monday after traveling to Bahrain, which established diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020 along with the UAE. He is scheduled to speak with Sheikh Mohammed.
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