Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan has lauded the efforts made by Kuwait and the United States to end the Gulf crisis. In a tweet on Friday, the Saudi foreign minister said: "We consider with great appreciation the efforts made by Kuwait to bridge the gap in viewpoints regarding the Gulf crisis and we thank the US efforts in this regard. We look forward to achieving success for the benefit of the region. Prince Faisal made the remarks after Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Nasser Al-Sabah said on Friday that "fruitful discussions have taken place in recent days to resolve the Gulf crisis". The Kuwaiti minister said: "All parties involved in recent talks expressed their desire to find a final and lasting solution to the GCC crisis for the benefit of their people." "All parties that participated in the talks expressed their desire to maintain the GCC and Arab stability," Al-Sabah added. In a short televised statement, the Kuwaiti foreign minister thanked Jared Kushner, the senior adviser to US President Donald Trump, for his efforts in this regard. Kuwait has been mediating between the "Arab Quartet" countries — Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt — and Qatar since the boycott took place in 2017. Meanwhile, Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Dr. Nayef Al-Hajraf has welcomed the remarks made by the Kuwaiti foreign minister about the keenness on solidarity reached in recent reconciliation talks between Gulf Arab states. In a statement carried by the Kuwait News Agency, the GCC chief said: "This reflects the Gulf Cooperation Council's strength and cohesion, and its ability to overcome obstacles and challenges with the grace of God and the wisdom and sophistication of its leaders." "The people of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as they are proud of this statement, seek to strengthen the Gulf house and look forward to what the future may bring of hope, aspirations, and opportunities amid an interconnected and united Gulf entity that works to serve its countries and people and pushes forward the wheels of development, progress, security, and prosperity." Al-Hajraf in his statement recalled the sincere efforts led by the late Kuwaiti Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah since the beginning of the crisis. He also praised US President Donald Trump's support for the mediation efforts and his belief in the unity of the Gulf. — SG
