Qatar knows how to become GCC member again: Saudi Foreign Minister

Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir has indicated that Qatar knows what to do in order to return as an active member of the council.

"Brothers in Qatar know what is required of them to return as an active member of the council," Al Arabiya quoted the minister as saying. He was addressing the closing session of the 39th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit.

The Foreign Minister also informed that the GCC members believe that the crisis with Qatar will have no impact on the Council.

"The Gulf States are one family and any disagreement is resolved within the Gulf house. The stance towards Qatar came to push it to change its policies," Jubeir added.

 

The 39th summit of Gulf Cooperation Council issued a seven-point Riyadh Declaration. The Declaration revolved around the motive to unify its member states in the fields of defence, economy and strategic partnerships.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani skipped the summit and a delegation headed by Qatar's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al Muraikhi was sent to represent the country.

The GCC summit comes amid an ongoing blockade on Qatar imposed by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Egypt, four members of GCC out of seven, after accusing Qatar of supporting 'terrorism' in June 2017. However, Qatar has denied the alleged charges and claimed that the boycott is affecting the country's sovereignty.

Recently, Qatar had also announced its decision to withdraw from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) in January 2019 in order to strengthen its own position as a leading natural gas producer.