Kuwait offers to mediate in Qatar crisis

Kuwait has offered to mediate in the crisis between Qatar and its estranged Arab neighbours, a media report said on Tuesday.

The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmed al-Sabah, asked his Qatari counterpart, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, to exercise self-control and refrain from taking steps which could worsen the situation, the Kuwaiti news agency Kuna reported.

Following the telephonic conversation, Al Thani decided to postpone the speech he had planned to give to the Qatari people following the diplomatic crisis, Efe news reported.

This was to give the Kuwait Emir the time to make contacts with the parties of the conflict and try to contain the damage, a Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry statement said.

Following the diplomatic crisis, Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani met his Omani counterpart Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah.

Oman, which has not joined the diplomatic boycott, has mediated in other times in regional conflicts such as the war in Yemen.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain announced on Monday they had cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, whom they accuse of supporting terrorism and undermining stability in the region. Libya and the Maldives followed suit.

--IANS

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