US welcomes move by Qatar, Bahrain to restore diplomatic ties

By Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - The US on Wednesday welcomed an announcement by Bahrain and Qatar that they will resume diplomatic ties.

"We welcome the restoration of diplomatic ties between Bahrain and Qatar, two close US partners and major non-NATO allies," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said in a statement.

Noting that the Biden administration has been working to encourage "regional integration, de-escalation and rapprochement between US partners", Sullivan said that "a fully unified Gulf Cooperation Council, of which Bahrain and Qatar are key members, is also an important step towards establishing a more stable and prosperous Middle East region, including through more integrated commercial, economic and defense arrangements."

"The United States looks forward to working with all of our partners as we advance this shared vision of a more integrated, stable and prosperous region, which ultimately serves the interests of the United States and the American people," he added.

Qatar and Bahrain agreed Wednesday to resume diplomatic ties after the second meeting of the Bahraini-Qatari Follow-up Committee at the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) General Secretariat in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The agreement came more than two years after the Al-Ula Declaration was signed in Saudi Arabia on Jan. 5, 2021 which ended a four-year boycott of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.