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The emir of Qatar arrived in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday to attend a summit of Arab leaders, following an announcement that the Saudis were ending their long-running embargo on the tiny Gulf state.

The arrival of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani was broadcast live on Saudi TV.

He was seen descending from his plane after it landed at the ancient Saudi desert city of Al-Ula, and being greeted with a hug by Saudi crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

The emir is in Al-Ula for an annual summit of Gulf Arab leaders that is expected to produce a detente between Qatar and four Arab states that have blockaded the country and cut transport and diplomatic links with it since mid-2017.

The embargo was imposed over Qatar's support for Islamist groups and its warm ties with Iran.

The diplomatic breakthrough comes after a final push by the Trump administration and Kuwait to mediate an end to the crisis.

The Qatari emir has only attended the Gulf Cooperation Council summit once - when it was hosted by Kuwait - since the blockade was launched.

The following two summits were held in Saudi Arabia and he instead sent an envoy.

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