Arab states, US to hold talks: Egypt

Cairo : Foreign ministers from the four Arab states that have cut ties with Qatar will hold talks with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson in Saudi Arabia today, Egypt said.

Egyptian foreign minister Sameh Shoukry has been invited by his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir to the talks in Jeddah, the foreign ministry in Cairo said yesterday.

“The meeting reflects the four countries’ desire to enhance coordination and underscore their unity on ways to deal with Qatar in the future,” the ministry said.

In June, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain announced the severing of all diplomatic ties with Qatar over allegations the emirate bankrolled Islamist extremists and had close ties with Saudi Arabia’s arch-rival Iran.

Tillerson visited Qatar Tuesday for talks on the Gulf diplomatic crisis, after a stop in mediator Kuwait the previous day.

Meanwhile, the US and Qatar announced yesterday they have signed an agreement on fighting terrorism.

US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani made the announcement at a joint news conference in Doha.

Tillerson said the agreement was built on decisions made at a Riyadh summit in May to “wipe terrorism from the face of the Earth”.

“As a result of President Trump’s very strong call, these commitments for action, will begin immediately on a number of fronts.”

Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar was the first country in the region to sign a bilateral agreement with Washington on counter terror funding.