Gulf states and Qatar expected to resolve travel, transport and trade issues within a week

UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Anwar Gargash said on Thursday that a number of “practical measures, including travel, transportation, trade” will be resolved with Qatar within a week. In a briefing to the media, Dr Gargash said: “We expect to move very quickly on other issues”, including reopening of missions. Bilateral working groups between Qatar and the four members of the Arab quartet who had cut ties with Doha in 2017 will be established to work on “turning a page” in relations. Dr Gargash stressed the “UAE is behind this deal, positive about re-establishing relations with Qatar within the GCC context”. “We want to do this faster rather than slower," he said. Al Ula document, signed during the 41st GCC Summit in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, was described by Dr Gargash as a strategic document. It does not detail the specific measures to be taken, and so the bilateral working groups of the countries concerned will work through specific issues.