Bahrain’s crown prince calls Qatari emir in apparent step towards mending fences

• Two Gulf states may be moving toward repairing relations two years after an Arab boycott of Qatar was lifted.
• The discussion came after Qatar’s emir and Bahrain’s king attended a small Arab summit.
• The rulers of Oman, Jordan, and Egypt were also present at the summit.

DUBAI: Bahrain’s crown prince spoke by phone with Qatar’s emir late Wednesday, according to the state news agency, indicating that the two Gulf states may be moving toward repairing relations two years after an Arab boycott of Qatar was lifted.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt lifted a three-and-a-half-year embargo on Qatar in January 2021, but there have been no bilateral talks between Doha and Manama to resolve differences since then.

According to sources, Bahrain‘s crown prince and prime minister, Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, “emphasized the importance of joint efforts to resolve all outstanding differences” during a phone call with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

“It was also agreed that officials from both countries would continue to communicate in order to achieve common goals,” according to the sources.

The discussion came after Qatar’s emir and Bahrain’s king attended a small Arab summit in Abu Dhabi last week, along with the rulers of Oman, Jordan, and Egypt.

The dispute that led to the quartet severing all ties with Qatar in 2017 was over its support for Islamist movements deemed a threat by Arab neighbors, as well as its ties with Iran and Turkey.

The four countries also had disagreements with Qatar.

Except for Bahrain, all countries restored travel and trade links in 2021.

Also Read

Bahrain’s parliamentary elections

The Shia-majority nation suppressed a 2011 anti-government rebellion backed by the Shia...