The CEO of Italian oil and gas firm Eni has backed a return to diplomatic ties between Qatar and its powerful neighbors, telling CNBC that a removal of a blockade against the country would be "good for everybody."
"I think it would make life easier to everybody. When there is communication, when there is good relationships it's good," Claudio Descalzi told CNBC's Hadley Gamble during the Doha forum in Qatar.
"We have, already, a lot of issues, trouble in the world to look for ... everybody's suffering in the area because of this situation," he said, adding that "peace would be good for everybody."
Saudi Arabia, along with Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt imposed an economic and diplomatic blockade on the small Arab state in June 2017, accusing it of supporting terrorism. Qatar vehemently denies the accusations.
The blockade has impacted air travel, shipping and trade routes and media, among other sectors. However, there are now early signs that relations might be improving. Speaking to Reuters on Saturday, Qatar Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said there has been "small progress" in resolving the 2-1/2 year dispute.
—CNBC's Holly Ellyatt contributed to his article.