Qatar ‘open’ to US-hosted talks over Gulf crisis

Qatar’s ruler has said he is ready for US-hosted direct talks aimed at solving the diplomatic crisis in the Gulf, Reuters reports. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani told CBS News he wanted an end to the dispute, which pits Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt against Qatar. “If they [are] going to walk one meter toward me, I’m willing to walk 10,000 miles towards them,” he said. On Sunday, the foreign minister of Bahrain called for freezing Qatar’s membership of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) to preserve its unity. Bahrain also warned it will not attend the upcoming GCC summit if Qatar does not change its stance.