Saudi King Abdullah called on Egypt on Wednesday to back an agreement between Gulf Arab states that ended an eight-month dispute over Qatar's backing of Islamist movements and its promotion of Arab Spring revolts.

In a statement published by the Saudi Press Agency, the king appealed to the leadership and people of Egypt to "work with us for the success of this step in the march of Arab solidarity".

Egypt's ambassador to Qatar was recalled to Cairo earlier this year over political tension between the two states.

Relations between Cairo and Doha have deteriorated since President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, then the army chief, removed Mohamed Mursi of the Muslim Brotherhood from power following mass protests against his rule last year.

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, which returned their ambassadors to Doha after resolving the row with Qatar, have been big supporters of Sisi and have contributed billions of dollars of aid to Egypt since Mursi was ousted. – Reuters