Qatari, Bahraini delegations meet in Saudi Arabia, plan for bilateral talks

Qatari and Bahraini officials met in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Tuesday to discuss launching talks between the two countries, as tensions from a years-long diplomatic crisis in the Gulf continue to thaw.

Qatar's delegation was headed by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, while Bahrain’s delegation was headed by Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Al Zayani, a statement by the Qatari foreign affairs ministry said.

اجتماع قطري - بحريني لوضع آليات وإجراءات إطلاق مسار المباحثات الثنائية#الخارجية_القطرية pic.twitter.com/N2Rs15mvLx

— الخارجية القطرية (@MofaQatar_AR) February 7, 2023

It was the first of its kind meeting since a reconciliatory summit was held in Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ula in early January 2021, which resulted in an agreement to lift the blockade of Qatar that started in June 2017.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt and a number of other countries had accused Qatar of "supporting terrorism" and having "secret ties" with Iran.

At Tuesday's meeting, the two sides stressed "the importance of work and cooperation between the two countries in a way that strengthens relations, achieves the aspirations of their peoples for security, stability and development, and supports the joint action of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf", according to the Qatar foreign ministry statement.