Ease in the Emerati - Qatari crisis

Emirate sources said that the emir of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad Khalifa al-Thani, will visit the United Arab Emirates in March at the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Zayed Ben Sultan Al-Nahayan.

The source said the two countries consider this visit very important in enhancing bilateral relations and forwarding relations in the Gulf Cooperation Council, which is exposed to great conflicts due to the variation in attitudes concerning the Iraqi crisis with the United Nations Security Council.

Relations between Qatar and the UAE have witnessed an increasing amount of communication, after two years of stalemate when Sheikh Hamad assumed power in Qatar and while the previous emir, Sheikh Khalifa Ben Hamad, resided in Abu Dhabi (UAE) for a few months before leaving for Europe.

Abu Dhabi took a step toward in resuming its relationship with Doha when Sheikh Khalifa Ben Zayed Al-Nahayan, the high commander of the UAE armed forces, visited Qatar during last December, and met with Sheikh Hamad.