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Tillerson calls on Saudi bloc to lift blockade on Qatar

The US secretary of state, after meeting Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi today in Washington, called for the lifting of the blockade on Qatar as a sign of good faith.
U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson testifies before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., June 13, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein - RTS16WM2

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Rex Tillerson today urged Saudi Arabia and its Arab allies to lift their blockade of Qatar as a sign of good faith following what he called “aggressive” efforts by Doha to address their concerns.

Tillerson made the comments alongside visiting Omani Foreign Minister Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah at the State Department amid signs the Qatar crisis may be easing. Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt began imposing a blockade on gas-rich Qatar in early June.

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