Kuwait calls for an end to 'media campaigns' in Gulf region

Riyadh is hosting the annual gathering as crises rumble on over the 18-month-old dispute with Doha, the war in Yemen and the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Saudi Arabia's consulate in Istanbul.

The regional powerhouse had invited Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to attend the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council talks, but the foreign ministry in Doha said he would not go.

Instead Qatar was represented by the minister of state for foreign affairs, Sultan al-Muraikhi, it said.

Speaking at the start of the summit, Saudi King Salman accused Iran of "continuing to interfere in the affairs of the countries in the region".

He stressed the importance of the GCC and the need to "defend, in collaboration with our partners, security and stability in the Gulf".

Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain and the UAE, severed diplomatic ties with Doha in 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism and fostering close ties with their regional rival Iran.

Doha - which announced this month it was quitting the Saudi-dominated OPEC oil cartel - denies the allegations, but the dispute has dragged on.

Kuwait, which along with fellow GCC member Oman has stayed out of the worst political fallout from the Qatar row, has tried unsuccessfully to mediate a solution to the dispute.

No major announcements are expected to come out of Sunday's summit.

Agencies contributed to this report.