Qatari emir to attend annual Gulf summit despite crisis

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani will attend the annual summit of Gulf Arab heads of state in Kuwait on Dec. 5 and 6, Qatar's foreign minister told reporters on Sunday, despite a deep dispute within the group.

The rift between the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council members Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), on one side, and Qatar on the other had put this year's annual meeting in doubt.

The crisis, which began in June, revolves around allegations by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt that Qatar supports terrorism, a charge Doha denies. Qatar says the four countries are trying to force Doha to fall in line with their own foreign policy.