Sydney: US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson Monday called on Gulf states to stay united and work out their differences after several nations cut diplomatic ties with Qatar.
"We certainly would encourage the parties to sit down together and address these differences," he said in Sydney.
"If there's any role that we can play in terms of helping them address those, we think it is important that the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) remain united."
In the region's most serious diplomatic crisis in years, Qatar's Gulf neighbours Riyadh, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates as well as Egypt all announced they were severing ties with gas-rich Qatar.
Riyadh cut diplomatic relations and closed borders with its neighbour to "protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism", the official Saudi Press Agency said.
A Saudi-led coalition which for more than two years has been fighting Iran-backed rebels in Yemen separately announced Qatar was no longer welcome in the alliance, accusing it of supporting terrorist organisations.
Qatar had assigned warplanes to the coalition conducting air strikes against Yemen's Huthi rebels.
Tillerson said despite the impasse, he did not expect it to have "any significant impact, if any impact at all, on the unified fight against terrorism in the region or globally".
"All of those parties you mentioned have been quite unified in the fight against terrorism and the fight against Daesh, ISIS, and have expressed that most recently in the summit in Riyadh," he added.
Less than a month ago, US President Donald Trump visited the region to cement ties with powerhouse Saudi Arabia -- the first foreign stop of his young presidency.
In a Riyadh speech to Muslim leaders from around the world, Trump urged them to "drive out" terrorists.
"We certainly would encourage the parties to sit down together and address these differences," he said in Sydney.
"If there's any role that we can play in terms of helping them address those, we think it is important that the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) remain united."
Riyadh cut diplomatic relations and closed borders with its neighbour to "protect its national security from the dangers of terrorism and extremism", the official Saudi Press Agency said.
Advertisement
Qatar had assigned warplanes to the coalition conducting air strikes against Yemen's Huthi rebels.
Advertisement
"All of those parties you mentioned have been quite unified in the fight against terrorism and the fight against Daesh, ISIS, and have expressed that most recently in the summit in Riyadh," he added.
Advertisement
In a Riyadh speech to Muslim leaders from around the world, Trump urged them to "drive out" terrorists.
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Qatar Financial Centre Activates Digital Assets Lab Nearly a Year After Announcement "Brought Out India's Deep Historical Connect": S Jaishankar Visits Saudi National Museum What India Said On Qatar Seizing Guru Granth Sahib Video: Leopard Spotted Crossing Road In Bengaluru's Electronic City AAP Asks Its Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal To Quit Over Atishi Remarks Arvind Kejriwal Resigns After Choosing Atishi As His Replacement Kangana Ranaut Says Sold Mumbai Property After 'Emergency' Postponed China Landlord Tries To Evict Cancer-Stricken Tenant Over Property Value Alia Bhatt, Diljit Dosanjh Upped The Casual Cool Quotient In Chal Kudiye Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.