By Ahmet Yusuf

DOHA

Qatar's emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani held talks on Monday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Doha, according to the official QNA News Agency.

The talks dwelt on regional and international developments, especially the situation in Syria, Libya and Somalia, QNA said.

The meeting also tackled bilateral relations and the Gulf crisis.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Egypt abruptly severed all ties with Doha, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar has vociferously denied the accusations, describing the Saudi-led embargo as a violation of international law and its national sovereignty.

On Monday, Lavrov arrived in Doha, his first destination in a Gulf tour that also includes Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the UAE.

Earlier in the day, the top Russian diplomat met with his Qatari counterpart for talks on a host of issues, including peace efforts in Afghanistan.