(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
DOHA: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said that Saudi Arabia is not willing to begin direct talks to resolve a months-long diplomatic crisis in the Gulf.
After holding talks with Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and HE the Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, US top diplomat said he is not hopeful Saudi Arabia is willing to enter discussions to resolve the crisis.
"In my meetings with the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, I asked him to engage in dialogue, but there is not a strong indication that parties are ready to talk yet. We cannot force talks upon people who are not ready to talk," said Tillerson, referring to his earlier discussions in Riyadh.
Tillerson expressed concern about the impact of the crisis on the region's stability. "It's very important for the the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to continue to pursue unity," Tillerson told reporters while addressing a joint press conference along Qatar's foreign Minister.
"It is most effective when it is unified and none of us can afford to let this dispute linger," he added, renewing a call for dialogue to resolve the dispute. "We ask that everyone minimise the rhetoric and de-escalate the tensions and take steps to do so."
For his part, Qatar's foreign minister reaffirmed Doha's commitment to dialogue and emphasised the need for crisis to be resolved.
"The GCC is quite important for the collective security and we feel sorry that the GCC will be the victim of the crisis against the state of Qatar," he said. "This has affected directly the collective security of the Gulf because of the behaviour of the blockading countries."
The US Secretary visited Qatar following his stop in Saudi Arabia as part of a new push to end the current Gulf crisis.
Shiekh Mohammed pointed out that Qatar has not received yet any note that the GCC summit in Kuwait will be postponed.
US embassy in Doha tweeted after the news conference that 'Secretary Tillerson met with HH the Emir Sheikh Tamim & HE Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdullrahman Al Thani to discuss counterterrorism & ongoing Gulf dispute.
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