Bahrain and Egypt are working to calm tensions between the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. The two top Arab countries fell out in December over security concerns. Saudi Arabia accused the UAE of supporting Yemeni separatists, which threatened its national security. Despite the public rift, Riyadh and Abu Dhabi have not cut ties but have stopped high-level talks since late December. A source close to Saudi Arabia says "there is no need for mediation" as direct communication lines are still open. Still, Bahrain has stepped forward to lead mediation efforts. One Gulf official said, "Bahrain is leading mediation efforts between Saudi and the UAE that aim at ending the ongoing misunderstanding." The goal is to "bridge the gap and bring viewpoints closer." He added, "It’s a Gulf issue and it should be resolved in the Gulf" and stressed this was "a Bahraini effort, not a GCC effort," referring to the Gulf Cooperation Council. Bahrain and Egypt are actively trying to restore warm ties between the Gulf neighbours after a public diplomatic chill.