CAIRO — Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met Dec. 1 with his Saudi counterpart Adel al-Jubeir on the sidelines of the Euro-Mediterranean Dialogue in Rome. The two leaders discussed the Qatari crisis.

On Nov. 24, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani sent a condolence message to Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, extending his sympathies for the victims of the terrorist attack that targeted a mosque in northern Sinai. Gunmen attacked a mosque in the Egyptian province on Nov. 24 during Friday prayers, killing over 300 worshippers including 27 children.

Egypt had severed diplomatic ties with Qatar on June 5. Ever since the Egyptian army ousted Muslim-Brotherhood-affiliated President Mohammed Morsi on July 4, 2013, relations between the two countries have been uneasy. Egypt brands the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist group. Qatar, on the other hand, gave sanctuary to a number of Brotherhood leaders and refused to acknowledge the legitimacy of Sisi’s presidency.

However, statements made by senior officials now reflect a surprising shift in Qatar’s stance on Egypt. Qatari Defense Minister Khalid al-Attiyah said in a televised statement Nov. 19 that his country recognizes Egypt’s important regional role and that the two countries’ relationship must be solid.