Tillerson leaves Jeddah for Kuwait after talks on Qatar

By Ahmed al-Masri

DOHA, Qatar

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson has left Saudi Arabia after a two-hour visit during which he held a series of talks on the Gulf crisis.

According to Qatar's Al-Jazeera, Tillerson left Jeddah for Kuwait, where he began his Gulf tour on Monday.

According to the Saudi news agency, Tillerson, before his departure, met Saudi Crown Prince Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

During the meeting, the two sides reviewed bilateral relations and opportunities to develop them, as well as developments in the Middle East and joint efforts in the fight against terrorism and its financing.

The meeting came following another held by Tillerson including the foreign ministers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain, in addition to Kuwait’s minister of state for cabinet affairs, Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah.

The same news agency said the meeting discussed the crisis in Qatar in all its aspects, without giving further details.

Tillerson had also met with the Saudi King Salman bin Abdul Aziz, with whom he discussed recent developments in the region and efforts to combat terrorism and its financing.

Tillerson arrived in Jeddah from Doha as part of a tour he started on Monday in Kuwait to discuss the Gulf crisis.

The crisis was triggered by the cutoff of trade and diplomatic relations between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain, who accuse Doha of supporting terrorism.

During Tillerson's visit to Doha, the U.S. and Qatar signed a deal to combat terrorism financing, a step the four countries described late Tuesday as insufficient.

The four states have presented a list of demands for Qatar, including the closure of the pan-Arab Al Jazeera television, or face further sanctions.

Qatar denies the accusations, saying the blockade violates international law.