Egypt sends mixed messages on possible thaw with Qatar
Though some officials in Cairo have stated the importance of a stable relationship with Qatar, so far there are no initiatives for reconciliation.
CAIRO — In a surprising statement that contradicts the usual Egyptian stance against Qatar, Egyptian Minister of Manpower Mohamed Saafan said Nov. 15 that Qatar is among the countries that treat Egyptian laborers the best, and that relations between Qataris and Egyptians are great.
Saafan was not the first Egyptian official to make such statements. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said Nov. 5 during the World Youth Forum in Sharm el-Sheikh that Egypt always seeks to protect the stability of the Gulf countries, including Qatar.
Such statements raise questions as to whether the Egyptian authorities are ready to reconcile with Qatar and end Cairo’s participation in a boycott against Doha by Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Still, several Egyptian parliament members asserted in a series of press statements Nov. 12 that there would be no reconciliation with Qatar unless the demands of the boycotting countries are met.
