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Pompeo urges gulf unity in apparent attempt to end Qatar spat
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Secretary of State nominee Mike Pompeo speaks during his confirmation hearing before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill, on April 12, 2018 in Washington, DC. President Trump nominated Pompeo to replace Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State. (Mark Wilson/AFP)
U
S Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said it was essential for Gulf Arab monarchies to achieve unity, in an apparent attempt to resolve the diplomatic crisis between Qatar and a Saudi-led coalition.
Pompeo, visiting Riyadh on his first trip as the US top diplomat, said he “stressed the importance” of Gulf unity in talks with Saudi officials.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic and transport links with Qatar on June 5, accusing the country of supporting Sunni extremist groups and Iranian-backed Shiite militants. Qatar denies the charge.
While President Donald Trump initially sided with the Saudi-led action, he and other US officials later said the crisis was distracting members of the Gulf Cooperation Council from confronting regional rival Iran.
Pompeo succeeded Rex Tillerson, a former chairman of Exxon Mobil who was leading US efforts to end Qatar’s isolation. Some officials within the Saudi bloc accused him of siding with the Qataris because of his former energy ties to the gas-rich country.
