(by Alessandra Antonelli) (ANSAmed) – DUBAI, MAY 26 – A dispute between Qatar and three of its neighbors – Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – is still unresolved after a weekend summit of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members in which Bahrain stated its ambassador will not return to Doha.

”The GCC committees are still working on overcoming differences”, said Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed al-Khalifa. ”Bahrain’s ambassador to Qatar will not return to resume his duties in Doha at the present time”.

”Ministerial meetings are ongoing, and we remain optimistic”, he conceded.

In what is the gravest crisis since the GCC was founded in 1981, Abu Dhabi, Manama and Riyadh recalled their ambassadors from Doha in March, citing Qatari interference in their internal affairs, Qatar’s support of the Muslim Brotherhood, and the fact that it shelters prominent preachers outspoken in their criticism of Qatar’s neighbors. The GCC, which also includes Kuwait and Oman, stepped in to try to heal the rift, with Kuwait as mediator.

An agreement was reached at the end of April, when in a joint press conference with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sabah Khalid al-Sabah, Qatari Foreign Minister Khalid al-Attiyah declared the crisis ”a thing of the past”. Doha at the time agreed to renew its commitment not to interfere in its neighbors’ domestic affairs, to rein in its TV channels, and to expel certain controversial figures. However the return of the ambassadors was not mentioned. (ANSAmed).