Gulf Cooperation Council States Want Organization To Stay Unaffected By Qatar Row - Riyadh

DOHA (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 10th December, 2018) The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations do not want the diplomatic crisis around Qatar to affect the work of this regional organization, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said on Sunday.

The statement was made, following the GCC summit in Riyadh. Despite the Saudi king's invitation, Qatari Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani decided to skip the summit, sending the country's state minister for foreign affairs in his stead.

"The members of the council do not want the crisis around Qatar to have a negative impact on the work of the council," al-Jubeir said, as aired by Arab tv channels.

He stressed that Qatar needed to fulfil the Arab countries' conditions to open the way for its return to the full-fledged work in the council.

The minister added that any conflict among the Gulf states must be resolved within the regional organization.

Qatar has been under a diplomatic and economic blockade since last June, when the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and Egypt, among others, severed diplomatic relations and communication with Doha, accusing it of supporting terrorism and interfering in their internal affairs. Qatar has refuted the allegations.