KUWAIT CITY: Gulf Arab army chiefs, including Qatar’s military commander, will meet with US Central Command officials for talks on defence cooperation this week, a Kuwaiti official said on Sunday.

Speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to brief the press, an official with Kuwait’s defence ministry said army commanders of the Gulf states — including boycott-hit Qatar — would hold talks on Monday (today) in a scheduled meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council Supreme Military Committee in Kuwait City.

The 15-month Qatar boycott is the worst political crisis to hit the oil-rich Gulf. Kuwait has led mediation efforts in the crisis.

The Gulf commanders will also meet representatives of the US Central Command and those of the Egyptian and Jordanian armies on Wednesday, the Kuwaiti official said.

State news agency KUNA has confirmed defence talks this week in Kuwait city.

Published in Dawn, September 10th, 2018