Saudi defense minister arrives in Qatar
Saudi Arabia-Qatar, Politics, 7/9/1999

Saudi Defense Minister Prince Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz arrived in Qatar on Thursday in the framework of a Gulf tour, during which he will discuss relations between the Gulf states and Tehran.

Prince Sultan was welcomed by the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Bin Khaleifa al-Thani, and high-ranking Qatari officials.

On Wednesday the Saudi defense minister met in Abu Dhabi with United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan al-Nahyan on the first visit for a Saudi official for the UAE since the two countries settled their disputes over relations with Tehran.

Earlier, the Emir of Qatar made mediation efforts to end the conflict between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, in which Abu Dhabi had escalated its criticism of several of its partners in the Gulf Cooperation Council states, especially Saudi Arabia, for strengthening their relations with Tehran despite the conflict between the UAE and Iran over the three Gulf islands of Lesser Tanb, Greater Tanb and Abu Mousa.

Meantime, the Iranian news agency, IRNA, quoted the spokesman of the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Hamid Rida Asefi, as saying that Tehran rejects any foreign mediation in its conflict with the UAE over the question of the islands, yet he expressed his desire that the tripartite committee already formed by the GCC member states to prepare for negotiations between Iran and the UAE will convince the UAE to start direct negotiations with Tehran.

Previous Stories:
  Saudi defense minister arrives in Abu Dhabi   (7/8/1999)
  Saudi minister of defense Prince Sultan on a Gulf tour   (7/7/1999)
  GCC backs the UAE over islands issue   (7/5/1999)

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