Saudi King Salman invites Qatar pilgrims to Hajj
Saudi Arabia will open its border
with Qatar to allow Muslim pilgrims to attend the annual Hajj in Mecca
beginning this month, state media say.
The announcement came after
the first high-level meeting between the neighbours since Saudi Arabia
and three other states cut all links in June.
They accuse Qatar of aiding terrorists - a charge the emirate denies.
The closure of the Saudi border has forced Qatar to import food by sea and air for its population of 2.7 million.
Qatari pilgrims wishing to attend the Hajj will be able to pass
through the Salwa border crossing without needing electronic permits, a
statement on the official Saudi Press Agency said. The would also be
welcome through Saudi Arabia's airports, it added.
Last month,
Saudi Arabia had warned Qatari pilgrims would face certain restrictions
if they wanted to the attend the Hajj. Qatar responded by accusing
Riyadh of politicising the Hajj, and the UN special rapporteur on
freedom of religion expressed concern at Saudi Arabia's measures.
But
the Saudi change of heart came after a meeting between Saudi Crown
Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Al Saud and Qatari Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali
bin Abdullah bin Jassim Al Thani.
Observers say that, despite this
goodwill gesture, the dispute between Qatar and its neighbours, Saudi
Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates is far from over.
On Wednesday, Bahrain's state TV channel accused Qatar of plotting with the kingdom's main opposition grouping to stoke anti-government unrest in 2011.
BBC
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