Secretary of State Rex Tillerson says Qatar has made “significant progress to improve efforts to combat terrorism,” despite ongoing claims by other Arab powers that the tiny Persian Gulf nation backs jihadi groups such as Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood.
“Qatar is a strong partner and longtime friend of the United States,” said Mr. Tillerson, who was joined by Defense Secretary James Mattis in hosting Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and Defense Minister Khalid bin Muhammad al-Atiyah in Washington Tuesday.
Mr. Tillerson’s comments come roughly eight months after Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates banded together to impose an economic and diplomatic blockade against Qatar, a wealthy country that hosts Washington’s most strategic military base in the Persian Gulf, over what they claim is its weak posture on Islamic extremism and terrorism.
The rift among Arab nations within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — a U.S.-backed political-military alliance in the region — has put Washington on shaky diplomatic ground there, with the Trump administration resistant to side completely with Saudi Arabia because of American interests in Qatar.
Mr. Tillerson on Tuesday reiterated previous calls for a resolution of the so-called “GCC Crisis,” asserting that the “dispute has had direct negative consequences economically and militarily for those involved, as well as the United States.”
“We are concerned by the rhetoric and propaganda employed in the region, playing out daily in Arab mainstream and social media,” the secretary of state said. “It is critical that all parties minimize rhetoric, exercise restraint to avoid further escalation, and work toward a resolution.
“A united GCC bolsters our effectiveness on many fronts, particularly on counterterror, countering terrorism, defeating ISIS, and countering the spread of Iran’s malign influence,” Mr. Tillerson said.
Mr. Mattis added that, despite the regional tensions, Qatar and the United States “maintain excellent military-to-military relations,” with the Qataris hosting the Al Udeid Air Base, which is home to U.S. Air Force Central Command and critical not just to U.S. military operations in the Middle East, but also to “President Trump’s South Asia strategy.”
“It should be noted that just this last week, the Qatari Air Force completed its first two C-17 flights from the Gulf to Afghanistan and back, providing logistical support to the NATO counterterrorism campaign in Afghanistan,” Mr. Mattis said.
He and Mr. Tillerson spoke an a press conference alongside Sheikh al-Thani and Mr. al-Atiyah after a high-level session of the inaugural U.S.-Qatar strategic dialogue in Washington.
Sheikh al-Thani praised his American hosts and touted expansive economic ties between the United States and Qatar.
“Qatar is already investing more than $100 billion in the U.S. economy, including $10 billion earmarked for infrastructure,” he said, adding that “Qatar and U.S. private sector have devoted substantial resources to the other, U.S. companies doing business in Qatar within construction, energy, and services industry.”
At the same time, the sheikh lamented the ongoing diplomatic rift between Qatar and its neighbors, asserting that “Qatar and its people have been illegally and unjustifiably blockaded” by Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.
• Guy Taylor can be reached at gtaylor@washingtontimes.com.
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