Qatari Ambassador To Resume Duties İn Cairo: Sources

The Qatari government has agreed to send back its ambassador to Cairo amid conflicting reports on whether Egypt's envoy would be returning to Doha, according to diplomatic sources.



A senior Arab diplomat privy to the developments of ties between Qatar and Egypt told The Anadolu Agency that the two countries "have provisionally agreed to send back their respective ambassadors to Doha and Cairo."



The source, who declined to be named, did not reveal any details as to when the two ambassadors would be returning to their posts.



But a senior Egyptian diplomat, requesting anonymity, confirmed to AA that "a provisional agreement has been reached between Cairo and Doha," but noted that the agreement doesn't include the return of Egypt's envoy to Doha.



"It has been decided that Qatar's ambassador to Cairo would remain in Egypt after accompanying Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to Sharm el-Sheikh for the Arab summit," the Egyptian diplomat said.



"This is a preliminary step, and the current sentiment is not to officially announce it while maintaining on the presence of Qatar's ambassador to Cairo to gradually return to his duties until the right moment [comes to make an official announcement]," the source added.



Upon arriving in Egypt's Red Sea resort town of Sharm el-Sheikh to participate in the 26th Arab summit, the Qatari emir held a bilateral meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi.



The two leaders discussed means of boosting bilateral ties between their respective countries in all fields for the good of both nations, according to Qatar's official press agency.



The meeting took place more than a month after the Qatari Foreign Ministry recalled its ambassador to Cairo Hamad Saif Buainain "for consultations" following critical remarks made by Egypt's delegate to the Arab League Tareq Adel against Qatar.



Adel accused Doha of "taking a supportive stance towards terror" after it expressed reservations over a clause in an Arab League statement showing understanding to Egypt's airstrikes against Daesh in Libya.



Egypt had repeatedly accused Doha, which had been a key ally to the administration of ousted President Mohamed Morsi, of interfering in its affairs by supporting the Brotherhood and hosting a number of wanted Brotherhood figures following the army's ouster of Morsi.



It also cited heavy criticism from Qatari-owned Al Jazeera news channel and its affiliate, Al Jazeera Mubasher Misr, which before its closure in December had been devoted exclusively to covering events in Egypt.



Ties, however, appeared to improve between Egypt and Qatar in recent weeks following mediation efforts by late Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdelaziz. But it seems the relations are taking a downturn following the death of the Saudi monarch.



www.aa.com.tr/en - Kahire