DUBAI, Dec. 9 (Xinhua) -- Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum headed on Sunday a delegation at the 39th Summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held in the Saudi capital Riyadh, official WAM news agency reported.

Earlier in the day, UAE Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash expressed his hope for "a successful Gulf summit" under the leadership of Saudi Arabia, praising GCC fellow member state Kuwait for its efforts in bringing the council members together.

The GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar.

Notably, a delegation led by Qatari State Minister for Foreign Affairs Sultan bin Saad Al-Muraikhi arrived in Riyadh for the meeting despite the absence of the Qatari emir.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt have been imposing a diplomatic and economic boycott on Qatar since June 2017 over allegations that the tiny gas-rich Gulf country supports terrorism and interferes in their domestic affairs, which Doha has repeatedly denied.

Qatar announced last week its decision to withdraw from the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from Jan. 1, 2019, a move seen as a challenge to the Saudi-dominated oil cartel. Enditem

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