Page 10 - MEOG Week 49

MEOG POLICY MEOG

Diplomatic breakthrough

following Saudi talks with Qatar

SAUDI / QATAR FOLLOWING a three-and-a-half-year block- notably not involved in the discussions.
ade of Qatar by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain Bloomberg quoted one person close to pro-
and Egypt, a breakthrough appears to have been ceedings as saying that issues including Doha’s
made to improve relations between Riyadh and relations with Iran remain unsolved and must be
Doha. overcome to achieve a return to normality.
Last week, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Since early 2020, the feeling within Saudi Ara-
Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said that “significant bia has been building that relations with Qatar
progress” had been made during talks brokered should be improved, particularly as the country
by Kuwait and Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared is set to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
Kushner. With Saudi Aramco having agreed a major
It is worth noting that the blockade was sponsorship deal with Formula 1, sport is
implemented after a visit to Riyadh by President seen as an increasingly important tool for soft
Trump, during which he is understood to have diplomacy. The Public Investment Fund (PIF)
urged Saudi Arabia to put pressure where possi- launched a bid to acquire English football team
ble on countries in the region that appeared to be Newcastle United, only for the sovereign wealth
getting closer to Iran. “In exchange the US would fund to withdraw later following concerns in the
ramp up its support of the Saudi ruling family UK about the public image of Saudi ownership
in terms of political rhetoric, intelligence-shar- and complaints from Qatar.
ing and supporting the oil price in the financial The latter came as part of a high-profile retal-
markets,” a senior Gulf source told Middle East iation for the blockade and cited piracy of cov-
Oil & Gas (MEOG) at the time. erage of the sport with the support of Riyadh.
While the blockade has caused significant The Qatar-based beIN Sports networks holds
financial discomfort for Qatar, it has failed the rights to English Premier League football in
to bring about the strategic shift in outlook the Middle East, and the company alleges that
intended. Saudi-backed pirates have been retransmitting
Following last week’s talks, Riyadh appears its signal illegally.
to have opened up its land and air borders with This appears unlikely to stop, but Riyadh is
Qatar in a move aimed at building confidence. keen to be a part of the 2022 event and these talks
However, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt are may bring that closer to reality.™

P10 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 49 09•December•2020