Trump speaks to Qatar's Emir on unity against terrorism

The White House said that US President Donald Trump had spoken with Amir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar by phone regarding the importance of maintaining unity in combating terrorism.

"If I can help mediate between Qatar and, in particular, the UAE (United Arab Emirates) and Saudi Arabia, I would be willing to do so and I think you'd have a deal worked out very quickly," said Trump here during his joint press conference on Friday with visiting Kuwaiti Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah.

During the discussion on Thursday, Trump underscored the importance of cutting off funding for terrorist groups and combating extremist ideology, said the White House in a statement.

Trump also expressed his willingness to mediate an ongoing dispute between Qatar and other Middle East countries.

On June 5, the Saudi-led quartet severed diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a blockade on the rich tiny Gulf nation, citing Doha's support for terrorism and extremism, interference in their internal affairs and seeking closer ties with Iran. Qatar has strongly denied these charges.

Tensions were renewed last month when Qatar announced it would send back its ambassador to Iran, a rival for most Gulf nations.

Qatar recalled its envoy in Tehran in early 2016 in a show of solidarity with Saudi Arabia after the attacks on two Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran.

Despite a flurry of diplomatic mediation efforts by the US, the European Union and Kuwait in the past months, the Gulf standoff has shown no signs of abating.

--IANS

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