MANAMA, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Bahraini Foreign Minister Sheikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa on Tuesday expressed disappointment at Qatar's "lack of seriousness" to end its dispute with the four boycotting Arab countries.

"This lack of seriousness was clear in the way Qatar handled its participation in the 40th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) summit in Riyadh today through the absence of Qatar's Emir," said the Bahraini minister in a statement carried by the official Bahrain News Agency (BNA).

He noted that Qatar only sent an official, who lacked any authority or instruction to end the dispute, to attend the GCC summit.

Saudi Arabia hosted the GCC summit on Tuesday as Gulf leaders discussed means to reinforce cooperation and integration in politics, defense and security, while reviewing regional and international political developments.

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani received an invitation from Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to attend the summit, but he did not appear at the summit despite the expectation that his attendance could lead to an end to the Gulf crisis.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt have been imposing a diplomatic and economic blockade on Qatar since June 2017, citing that the gas-rich Gulf country supports terrorism and interferes in their domestic affairs.

Qatar has repeatedly denied the charges, while rejecting a list of demands from the Saudi-led coalition to change its foreign policies. Enditem

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