Gulf crisis has moved from stalemate: Qatar FM

Qatar’s foreign minister has spoken of “some progress” in talks with Saudi Arabia on ending a bitter two-year-old rift between Doha and the kingdom and its allies. A Saudi-led bloc including the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut all diplomatic and transport ties with Qatar in June 2017. They broke with Doha over allegations it backs radical Islamists and seeks closer ties with Saudi arch rival Iran. Qatar vehemently denies the charges. “In recent weeks we have moved from a stalemate to some progress,” Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani said in Rome at the Mediterranean Dialogue Forum. “We hope these talks will lead to a progress where we can see an end to the crisis.”