Qatari FM to visit Russia amid Gulf row

By Hakan Ceyhan Aydogan

MOSCOW

Qatari Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani would visit Moscow on Saturday amid a diplomatic row among Gulf states, Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported Thursday.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that President Vladimir Putin is not expected to receive Thani.

On Monday, five Arab countries -- Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Yemen -- cut ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.

Mauritania and Senegal followed suit, while Jordan has downgraded its diplomatic relations with Doha.

Qatar denied the accusations, calling the move "unjustified".

Following the row, Moscow said it will continue to maintain "good" ties with the Persian Gulf states and expects the situation to defuse in a "peaceful" atmosphere.