KUWAIT: Kuwait’s Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah meets with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Britain’s National Security Advisor Mark Sedwill. — K

KUWAIT: Kuwait, the US and Britain Monday called for a rapid end to the Gulf crisis through dialogue, as they expressed their concern over the prolonging of the dispute. Kuwait’s Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Sabah Al- Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Britain’s National Security Advisor Mark Sedwill expressed deep concern “over the continuation of the current crisis in the region.”

The three officials, meeting at Bayan Palace, urged all parties to “contain this crisis rapidly, and to find a solution through dialogue as soon as possible.” Tillerson and Sedwill reaffirmed support for mediation carried out by Kuwait and efforts of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah to solve the crisis.

The meeting was attended by Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs and Acting Minister of Information Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah Al-Sabah, Deputy Foreing Minister Khaled Al-Jarallah, Assistant Foreign Minister for Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled’s office Ambassador Sheikh Dr Ahmad Nasser Al-Sabah, Assistant Foreign Minister for protocols Dhari Al-Ajran and Assistant Foreign Minister for Al-Jarallah’s office Ayham Al-Omar. Earlier, Tillerson reiterated Washington’s commitment to the security, safety and stability of the State of Kuwait.

This came during a meeting with Sheikh Sabah Al-Khaled, during which they discussed ways of boosting bilateral ties, regional and international issues of mutual interest. Meanwhile, Oman and Qatar said they supported mediation of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al- Sabah to solve the Gulf crisis. This came during a meeting between Omani and Qatari Foreign Ministers, Yusuf Abdullah and Sheikh Mohammad Al-Thani respectively, the official ONA news agency reported. The two Ministers hoped Kuwait’s mediation would help solve the Gulf crisis in a way that would preserve security and stability of the GCC, and its common action, added ONA.

Earlier on Monday, Sultan of Oman Qaboos Bin Saeed received a letter from Qatari Emir Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, dealing with bilateral relations and issues of mutual concern. Asaad Bin Qariq, Oman’s Deputy Prime Minister for International Affairs and special representative of the Omani Sultan was handed the letter by Sheikh Mohammad. Kuwait is turning into a political ‘Mecca’ this coming week, with high-profile Arab and foreign officials arriving and holding talks in light of mediating efforts led by His Highness the Amir to solve the dispute between Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE on one side and Qatar on the other. Boris Johnson, British Foreign Secretary, visited Kuwait while Tillerson arrived earlier in the north Gulf state in yet another attempt to tackle the dispute.

German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel also visited the region, including Kuwait. The three men threw their weight behind the Kuwaiti mediation. Within the framework of the mediation efforts, His Highness the Amir had paid visits to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar, where he held constructive talks with leaders there, who in turn, warmly welcomed the initiative. — KUNA