Qatar Emir’s landmark trip to Egypt ends years of strained relations

Qatar Emir’s landmark trip to Egypt ends years of strained relations

Cairo: Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi Saturday accorded an official welcome in Cairo to Qatar’s Emir Tamim bin Hamad, who made his first visit to Egypt in more than seven years after the two Arab countries resolved a long diplomatic dispute. Al Sissi was seen in TV footage receiving Sheikh Tamim at the presidential palace in Cairo where they reviewed a guard of honour and national anthems of Egypt and Qatar were played before they went into talks. Their discussion was expected to focus on boosting ties between the two countries and a host of regional and international issues of mutual concern, Egyptian officials said. Sheikh Tamim’s visit comes yet as a fresh sign of improving relations between Cairo and Doha after years of estrangement. Sheikh Tamim landed in Cairo Friday evening, starting his two-day trip, the first since March 2015 when he attended an annual Arab summit in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm Al Sheikh. His latest visit came days after a trip to Egypt by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of a regional tour that also took him to Jordan and Turkey. Early last year, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain ended