Identical sources confirmed that negotiations are underway to reach an agreement to solve the Gulf crisis by the summit scheduled to be held in Riyadh on the fifth of next January, while Kuwait praised the positive atmosphere in which the summit will be held, amid expectations of an important breakthrough on the road to Gulf reconciliation.

In this context, sources confirmed to Al-Jazeera Net that negotiations are currently underway between Saudi and Qatari officials seeking to reach an agreement to end the dispute by the Riyadh summit, which may pave the way for closing the page of the crisis that erupted in the summer of 2017, when Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt imposed a blockade on Qatar.

For its part, Reuters quoted a Gulf official yesterday, saying that talks are still ongoing to reach an agreement.

Today, Monday, the Kuwaiti Council of Ministers expressed "deep satisfaction" about what it described as the "positive fraternal atmosphere" that the Gulf summit is expected to witness, which it said "reflects the spirit of responsibility and sincere belief in the importance of strengthening Gulf cohesion and deepening brotherhood, solidarity and unity of the Cooperation Council In the face of the serious challenges facing the region. "

And the Qatari Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, confirmed last Wednesday in Moscow that there had been a breakthrough with regard to the possible Gulf reconciliation.

He added that the Gulf reconciliation talks are taking place between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, in its capacity as representatives of the rest of the parties.

In reference to the other three countries (the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt), he called on the Gulf states to reach an understanding with Iran.

In turn, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud said recently that a solution to the Gulf dispute is within reach.

And this after Kuwait confirmed progress towards turning the page on the crisis.

While the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz, the Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has been charged with transmitting invitations to the leaders of the countries participating in the summit, the level of Qatari representation in it has not yet been confirmed.

According to the French Press Agency, the presence of the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, will be a strong indication of a rapprochement.

Yesterday, the agency quoted sources - which it described as well-informed - that the four countries are ready to significantly reduce the severity of their demands, 13 within a possible final agreement.

She indicated that sources had said that they expected to reach an agreement by the summit, and that the meeting of Gulf leaders may result in a set of principles for negotiation or a more tangible step that includes reopening the airspace to Qatar.

Diffraction indicators

The recent Qatari and Saudi statements are among the most frequent indications of the possibility of a partial or total agreement.

In this context, the German News Agency today quoted a Gulf source as saying that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi will participate in the Gulf summit at the invitation of the Saudi King.

The source said that Sisi's participation is an indication that the summit will announce the agreement of the parties concerned to resolve the Gulf crisis and end the causes that led to its occurrence.

In the context also, Saleh Al-Mutairi, head of the Al-Madar Center for Political and Strategic Studies, expected a major breakthrough in the crisis, due to considerations including that there are no longer conditional negotiations between the parties to the crisis.

In contrast to the optimism expressed by Gulf circles, the Emirati political analyst Majid Al Raisi considered - in a tweet on Twitter - yesterday, Sunday, that it is "unrealistic" to talk about an imminent Gulf reconciliation.

Yesterday, the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council discussed - via video - the items on the agenda of the Riyadh summit.

A statement by the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said that the preparatory meeting also discussed the decisions and recommendations concerned with supporting and strengthening the march of joint Gulf action in various fields, in addition to the items listed and related to the current developments in the region.

The State of Qatar was represented at the meeting by Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

The Gulf summit was supposed to be held last month in Bahrain, but it was postponed to the beginning of next month and its venue was changed from Manama to Riyadh, in order to give more time for efforts to settle the crisis.