Qatar receives new Saudi ambassador as both states mend relations

Qatar’s foreign minister on Monday received the new Saudi ambassador to Doha, the first to be reinstated by Arab states after they agreed to end a dispute with Qatar earlier this year, state news agency QNA said.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and Bahrain resolved in January to lift the boycott imposed in mid-2017 and restore political, trade and travel ties with Doha. Riyadh has taken the lead among the four in re-establishing relations.

Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani welcomed Saudi Ambassador Prince Mansour bin Khalid bin Farhan and assured him of “all support to advance bilateral relations”, QNA said.

Riyadh and Cairo have acted faster to rebuild ties with Doha than the UAE in bilateral talks since the US-backed deal, but all but Bahrain have restored trade and travel links with Doha.

The four nations had accused Qatar of supporting terrorism. Doha denied the accusations.