* Next round of talks expected next week
Getting the parties in the Qatar dispute to talk directly to one another would be an important next step in resolving the crisis, the US State Department yesterday said after Secretary of State Rex Tillerson ended three days of talks in Gulf Arab countries.
Reuters quoted the State Department as saying there is subtle progress in efforts to resolve the Gulf crisis.
"Based on his meetings, the secretary believes that getting the parties to talk directly to one another would be an important next step," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told reporters.
"We hope the parties will agree to do so and we will continue to support the emir of Kuwait in his mediation efforts."
"We look forward to that happening," she said without giving a specific timeline.
Tillerson’s shuttle diplomacy yielded ideas that could provide the basis for a solution to the conflict between Qatar and its neighbors, according to three officials with knowledge of the deliberations, Bloomberg said.
"His meetings in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were positive, the officials said on condition of anonymity. The talks may be followed by another round of negotiations involving the US, the UK and the Saudi-led bloc, which has agreed to study Tillerson’s ideas, as early as next week," the report said, quoting the officials.
While in Doha Tillerson and his accompanying delegation met His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday. The meeting discussed the Gulf crisis and the efforts made to solve it.
Earlier in the day, a second joint meeting was held in the presence of His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani at Al Bahr Palace. The meeting brought together HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, Kuwait's Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of Information, Sheikh Mohamed al-Abdullah al-Mubarak al-Sabah and Tillerson.
The meeting discussed the latest developments in the Gulf crisis and the efforts being exerted to solve it through dialogue and diplomatic channels.
During his tour, Tillerson visited Qatar and Kuwait twice and met the foreign ministers of the four Arab countries boycotting Doha in the Saudi Arabian coastal city of Jeddah.
According to the Saudi-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya, he refused to answer any questions from reporters.
Saudi Arabia, the UAE cut diplomatic relations and transportation links with Qatar on June 5, accusing the Gulf state of supporting terrorism - a charge that Doha vehemently denies.
Following the political and economic boycott, the Arab quartet issued a list of 13 demands, which included downgrading ties with Iran; the cessation of support for Islamist groups; and the closure of Doha-based broadcaster Al Jazeera.
The demands were rejected by Doha.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will head to the region tomorrow.
He is scheduled to visit Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE to hear their views and "contribute to the Kuwaiti mediation efforts."
