Yemen’s ambassador Abdul Malik Saeed Abdou said he was recalled by his foreign ministry for consultations as a a matter of routine, the Gulf Times reported today:

In a telephone interview with  Doha’s Arabic daily Arrayah, he affirmed that relations between the two countries “are normal as usual and that he will be returning to Doha soon”.

The ambassador, who is currently on home leave, had a few days ago announced his support for the ongoing revolt against the government in his country. He had, in a statement, pleaded to President Ali Abdullah Saleh to heed to the demands of the youth and to put an end to the bloodshed.

Abdou was recalled yesterday, the day after Saleh told tens of thousands of supporters in the capital: “We don’t get our legitimacy from Qatar or from anyone else … We reject this belligerent intervention,” Reuters reported.

Earlier in the week, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani (pictured) said that the GCC would strike a deal for Saleh to leave.

Yesterday, he appeared on Al Jazeera to defend Qatar’s intentions. The Peninsula reported:

“I am really surprised that the topic turned, as if there was a Qatari problem or Qatari interference,” he said. “We respect any country, especially the Arab countries, we do not interfere in their affairs, but this initiative was at the request of Yemen to the GCC states, and Qatar is the part of the Cooperation Council.”

GCC foreign ministers will meet in Riyadh today to discuss Yemen in light of the GCC initiative pushing for dialogue between the government and the opposition.

The meeting will be chaired by UAE Foreign Minister and Current President of the GCC Ministerial Council Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.