Qatar sends prime minister to Gulf summit, sign of potential thaw in regional rift

Qatar is sending its prime minister to a Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, its highest level of representation at the annual meeting in two years, Reuters said. The move is seen as the most concrete sign yet of a potential thaw in a regional dispute.

Prime Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Al Thani will head Qatar’s delegation to the gathering of US-allied Gulf Arab leaders, according to state news agency QNA.

His attendance follows a recent intensification of efforts to resolve the row that has seen Riyadh and its allies impose a political and economic boycott against Qatar since June 2017 over allegations Doha backs terrorism.

Qatar denies the charges and accuses the four boycotting nations, which also include the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and non-GCC member Egypt, of trying to curtail its sovereignty.