Turkish president meets Qatari leader over Gulf dispute
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Turkey’s president on Monday urged Qatar and Arab countries isolating it to negotiate an end to the crisis dividing them as he wrapped up a two-day Gulf tour.
Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin said in a brief statement that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced his support for mediation efforts being led by Kuwait and said initiatives underway to resolve the crisis through dialogue should continue.
Erdogan travelled to Qatar on Monday for talks with Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who has said Qatar is open to dialogue so long as it respects his country’s sovereignty.
He earlier met with King Salman of Saudi Arabia, which leads an anti-Qatar bloc that includes the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, before holding talks with the emir of Kuwait.