Sisi and Emir of Qatar to meet in Riyadh: sources
Egyptian president met with senior Qatari envoy in Cairo on Saturday as part
of Saudi-brokered efforts
Abdul Sattar Hatita and Sawsan Abu-Husain Asharq Al-Awsat Sunday, 21 Dec,
2014
http://www.aawsat.net/2014/12/article55339693

Cairo, Dammam and Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah
El-Sisi will meet with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Bin Khalifa Al
Thani in the near future, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat on Saturday, as
tensions between the two countries appear to be easing.

The sources, who asked not to be named, said the two leaders will meet in
the Saudi capital Riyadh under the auspices of Custodian of the Two Holy
Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, as part of ongoing Saudi efforts to end
a longstanding rift between Cairo and Doha over the latter’s support for the
Muslim Brotherhood organization.

This development follows a meeting between Sisi and Sheikh Mohammed Bin
Abdul Rahman Al Thani, a special envoy to the Qatari Emir, in Cairo on
Saturday, as well as the Head of the Saudi Royal Court, Khalid Al-Tuwaijiri.

Sisi’s office issued a statement after Saturday’s meeting saying that Cairo
looked forward to “a new era in relations” between the two countries and
which would help “erase past disagreements.”

The statement said President Sisi “appreciated the sincere efforts of the
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, which seek
to bring about unity between Arab states and put an end to divisions, while
also fully respecting the will of these countries’ peoples and
non-interference in their internal affairs.”

Relations between Cairo and Doha took a turn for the worse after the ouster
of former president and senior member of the Muslim Brotherhood, Mohamed
Mursi, in July 2013, with Egypt and other Gulf countries accusing Qatar of
supporting the Islamist organization.

Saturday’s meeting was the result of efforts by King Abdullah to ease the
tensions between Qatar and Egypt, following a summit in Riyadh in November
which ended a months-long rift between Qatar and three of its Gulf
neighbors, also due to its support for the Islamist group, which is now
banned in Egypt and several Gulf countries.

The Qatari government, meanwhile, said on Saturday it “fully supported, as
it always has, its fellow Arab country, Egypt, since Egypt’s security is
tied to Qatar’s security,” adding that the two countries “were linked by the
deepest bonds and the strongest brotherly ties.”

Arab League Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby told Asharq Al-Awsat he and the
organization “greatly welcomed” the resumption of “normal relations” between
Egypt and Qatar, praising the efforts of King Abdullah in bringing both
countries to the table once again.

Mirza Al-Khuwaildi contributed reporting from Dammam. Fahd Al-Zayabi
contributed reporting from Royadh.