‘Gulf leaders could meet ahead of Qatar summit’

GCC leaders may possibly meet in Riyadh next week ahead of their December summit in Doha, according to Saudi newspaper Asharq Al Awsat.

KUWAIT CITY // Arab leaders in the Gulf could hold a special meeting to resolve differences within their ranks ahead of a scheduled annual summit in Qatar next month, newspapers said on Wednesday.

According to Kuwaiti daily Al Anbaa, consultations are underway to convene an informal meeting of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders before their December 9-10 summit in Doha.

The gathering in the Qatari capital will go ahead on time but after a "special summit", possibly in Riyadh next week, to iron out differences, Saudi newspaper Asharq Al Awsat said.

Amid a simmering dispute over Islamists between Doha and three other GCC members, a top Kuwaiti official denied the venue of the annual summit was being changed.

Kuwait has been mediating since Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain pulled their envoys out of Doha in March.

"I have only heard about a summit to be held at a certain time in a specific country, which is Qatar," said foreign ministry undersecretary Khaled Al Jarallah, quoted by Al Anbaa.

“I hope it will be held at its time and place.”

Mr Al Jarallah denied reports of attempts to move the summit of the six-nation GCC — which also includes Oman — to either Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, the host of last year’s meeting.

A foreign ministers’ meeting which was scheduled for Monday to prepare for the summit “has been postponed but God willing, it will be held”, he said.

A Gulf official said on Monday that the preparatory meeting was called off without a new date being set.

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the UAE have accused Qatar of meddling in their internal affairs and supporting the Muslim Brotherhood.

Riyadh labels the Brotherhood a “terrorist” group and the UAE has jailed dozens convicted of links to the Islamist group.

Doha later asked Brotherhood leaders to leave Qatar, following diplomatic pressure from Saudi Arabia, but differences remain.

* Agence France-Presse