The lines move between the petromarchies of the Gulf. Two and a half years after the start of the crisis between Qatar and the prosaudi axis, the region is enjoying an unprecedented start to relaxation. The gestures of appeasement between the two camps are increasing, in the sports, media and diplomatic fields, while a few months ago Qatar was treated in pariah by its neighbors, accused of pacting with the Iranian enemy and of spawn with Islamist "terrorists".
This development came to light on December 10, at the summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) organized in Riyadh. Qatari Prime Minister Abdallah Ben Khalifa Al Thani was greeted there by the Saudi sovereign in person, King Salman, with whom he exchanged smiles and jokes. At the previous meeting of the GCC heads of state in May in Mecca, the Qatari head of government had an icy reception.
Admittedly, Tamim Ben Hamad Al Thani, the Qatari monarch, did not make the trip to Riyadh. The gas principality is still suffering from the diplomatic and commercial embargo decreed against it in June 2017 by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt. A measure of retaliation for Doha's refusal to align with their anti-Iran and anti-Islamist diplomatic line.
But, if reconciliation is not yet on the agenda, the level of animosity between the enemy brothers of the Arabian Peninsula is declining. Saudi, UAE and Bahraini football teams participated in the Gulf Cup, a regional tournament held in Qatar in early December, when two years ago they boycotted the competition, already scheduled on the lawns of Doha, leading to relocation of matches to Kuwait.
" Go forward "
This beginning of the thaw is the product of a series of secret interviews, organized in recent weeks. The Wall street journal revealed that Qatari foreign minister Mohammed Ben Abdelrahman Al Thani visited Riyadh in October. In addition to this visit, prepared behind the scenes by Kuwait, the official mediator of the crisis, The world learned from a very knowledgeable source in Doha that at least two other bilateral meetings have taken place.
Emissaries from both sides first met in London. Then, on the sidelines of the enthronement of the Japanese emperor, Naruhito, on October 22, in Tokyo, which he attended, the sheikh Tamim Al Thani spoke "With a Saudi personality, close to Mohammed Ben Salman", the crown prince and man-orchestra of the kingdom, nicknamed "MBS".
