UAE, Qatar in process of restoring diplomatic ties

Work is underway to reopen the respective embassies as soon as possible

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By Reuters

Published: Wed 19 Apr 2023, 12:53 PM

Qatar and the UAE are restoring diplomatic ties and reopening embassies, officials said on Tuesday, more than two years after Arab states ended a boycott of Doha.

"At present, the activation of diplomatic ties, which will include the reopening of embassies, is under process between both countries," a UAE official said in a statement in response to a question from Reuters.

Qatar's international media office, in a statement, confirmed that "work is underway to reopen the respective embassies as soon as possible".

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A Gulf official said embassies were expected to reopen with new ambassadors in their posts by mid-June. A fourth source said diplomatic relations would be fully restored within weeks. The restoration of ties comes amid a broader regional push for reconciliation with Iran and Saudi Arabia agreeing last month to re-establish relations.

Several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia and Egypt, have moved to end a decade-long isolation of Syria, which had been boycotted over its crackdown on protests in 2011 - violence that led to a protracted civil war.

In Yemen, the Houthi movement and Saudi Arabia held a round of peace talks this week, exchanging hundreds of detainees, a significant peace-building move in a conflict widely seen as one of several proxy wars between Saudi Arabia and Iran. Further peace talks are expected soon.

In mid-2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt severed all ties with Qatar over accusations it supported terrorism, accusations Doha denied.

Riyadh and Cairo were the first to reappoint ambassadors to Doha in 2021 after a Saudi-led deal to end the dispute, while Bahrain last week announced it would restore diplomatic ties.

Relations between the UAE and Qatar warmed last year and leaders of both countries met face-to-face. "The UAE's foreign policy is primarily focused on building bridges, economic cooperation and regional de-escalation," said the UAE official, who declined to be identified.

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Reuters

Published: Wed 19 Apr 2023, 12:53 PM

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