On Tuesday, the 41st summit of the leaders of the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) was held in the Saudi city of AlUla. The meeting resulted in the signing of a declaration, in which the sides announced the restoration of relations with Qatar and expressed their commitment to strengthening the regional unity.
"Moscow lauds the agreements reached in AlUla that became a manifestation of the goodwill of the leaders of the GCC countries and Egypt, as well as the result of the respective mediatory efforts made by Kuwait," the statement, published on the ministry's website, said.
The ministry added that the results of the summit indicated the commitment of its participants to settle all the differences, resume mutual confidence and friendly relations.
"We hope that such intentions will be fully implemented," the ministry said, emphasizing the importance of "equal and respectful dialogue" between the Middle Eastern states and noting its significance for regional security.
Qatar had been under a diplomatic and economic blockade since June 2017, when Saudi Arabia and other monarchies accused it of meddling in their domestic affairs and sponsoring terrorism. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt issued the 13-item ultimatum that required Doha to scale down the relations with Iran, to close a Qatari-based Turkish military base, to shut down Al Jazeera television network and to stop meddling in neighbours' domestic affairs. Doha has consistently denied the accusations, insisting that the neighbours' discontent with its economic successes was behind their hostile policies.
