Saudi's MbS says Gulf states sign 'solidarity and stability' deal

Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said Tuesday that the Gulf states had signed an agreement on regional "solidarity and stability" at a summit aimed at resolving a three-year embargo against Qatar.

"These efforts helped us reach the agreement of the Al-Ula statement that will be signed at this summit, where we affirm our Gulf, Arab and Islamic solidarity and stability," he said, thanking the United States and Kuwait for mediating.

Delegations from the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member states arrived at Maraya Hall in Saudi Arabia's Al-Ula city on Tuesday afternoon for the bloc's 41st summit, which seeks to present a solution to the three-year Gulf crisis.

Bahrain's Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al-Khalifa was the first to arrive at Al-Ula's Prince Abdul Majeed Bin Abdulaziz Domestic Airport, the northwest Saudi city where the summit is due to take place.

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Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani was greeted at the airport by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he touched down at Al-Ula around 12:30pm local time.

The Saudi crown prince warmly embraced the Qatari leader on the airport's red carpet, in what is being seen as a gesture of reconciliation.

Kuwait's delegation will be led by the ruling Emir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, while Oman is being represented by Deputy Prime Minister Fahd bin Mahmoud Al-Said.

The UAE's delegation is led by Vice President Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Makhtoum, the ruler of Dubai and the Gulf state's deputy.

The special summit this year marks a major shift in relations between Gulf states, following the 2017 blockade on Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt.

Read more: Trump official confirms breakthrough in ending Gulf crisis

Emir Tamim's attendance at the meeting marks a major breakthrough in ending the GCC crisis.

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