Qatari foreign minister visits Saudi Arabia to ease Gulf rift – report

Qatar’s foreign minister has made an unannounced visit to Riyadh, Reuters reported, citing sources, amid signs that a rift among US-allied Gulf Arab states could soon subside.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani met with senior Saudi officials last month, said one of the sources familiar with the trip. If confirmed, it would be the highest-level visit since May when Qatar’s prime minister attended an Arab summit in Mecca.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut diplomatic and trade links with Qatar in June 2017, accusing it of backing terrorism. The boycotting nations set 13 demands for lifting the boycott.

Qatar denies the charge and accuses its neighbors of seeking to curtail its sovereignty.