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Qatar and Bahrain re-establish relations

Agreement on reconciliation between the two nations was reached in talks in Saudi Arabia, says Qatar's foreign ministry

Published: Thu 13 Apr 2023, 11:57 AM

  • By
  • AFP

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Banners showing the flags of Bahrain, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. -- AFP file

Banners showing the flags of Bahrain, Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar. -- AFP file

Qatar and Bahrain announced late Wednesday that they had agreed to end a long-running diplomatic feud and re-establish relations.

Agreement on the reconciliation was reached in talks at the Gulf Cooperation Council headquarters in Saudi Arabia, Qatar's foreign ministry said.

The neighbours "decided to restore diplomatic relations between the two countries according to the principles of the United Nations charter", said a foreign ministry statement.

"The two sides affirmed that this step stems from the mutual desire to develop bilateral relations and enhance Gulf unity and integration," it added.

Bahrain's foreign ministry released a similar statement, the country's state news agency reported.

A reconciliation accord was sealed in January 2021. The three other states have already renewed relations, though the UAE and Qatar have yet to reopen their embassies.

UAE and Qatari officials held their latest reconciliation meeting last week, with a Qatari foreign ministry spokesperson describing a "positive atmosphere".

The Qatar-Bahrain reconciliation comes amid a flurry of regional efforts to resolve disputes. Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed last month to resume relations seven years after formally breaking off ties.



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