SECRETARY TILLERSON: Well, good morning, all.
And the United States is very pleased to host
this inaugural U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue.
I want to welcome Foreign Minister al-Thani,
Minister of Defense al-Atiyah, and the entire
Qatari delegation to Washington.
And I want to express my thanks and appreciation
to Secretary Mattis for joining us for this
dialogue as well.
Qatar is a strong partner and a longtime friend
of the United States.
We value the U.S.-Qatar relationship and hope
the talks today deepen our strategic ties.
In today’s Strategic Dialogue sessions,
we will discuss important areas of cooperation,
including trade and investment, security,
counterterrorism, energy, and aviation.
The United States believes enhanced trade
will contribute positively to both our countries’
economic development, and create jobs for
the American people and Qatari citizens while
furthering the region’s security and stability.
The United States welcomes the understandings
we reached on civil aviation yesterday.
These exchanges addressed concerns important
to U.S. aviation industry stakeholders and
strengthened our economic cooperation.
The President has made this matter a priority,
and the outcome we achieve will ensure a level
playing field in the global aviation market.
I’m also pleased to announce that the U.S.
and Qatari governments will sign a memorandum
of understanding that creates a framework
for the United States to provide technical
assistance and training to the Qatari Government
on combatting human trafficking.
This MOU also provides for the creation of
a bilateral government working group to discuss
labor practices in Qatar.
Through our continued cooperation, we hope
to partner with Qatar to build institutional
capacity to eliminate human trafficking, an
area in which Qatar has already made significant
strides.
With respect to counterterrorism, following
President Trump’s challenge to all of our
Gulf partners during the Riyadh summit last
year, Qatar has made significant progress
to improve efforts to combat terrorism.
As a result of the memorandum of understanding
our countries signed in July, the United States
and Qatar have increased information sharing
on terrorists and terrorist financiers.
We have participated in counterterrorism technical
training and taken steps to improve aviation
security.
We look forward to building on this foundation
and implementing next steps.
We will also discuss other critical regional
security issues, including the ongoing battle
to defeat ISIS, Daesh, the Gulf dispute, the
situation in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan,
and Iran’s role in the region.
As the Gulf dispute nears the eight-month
mark, the United States remains as concerned
today as we were at its outset.
This 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.
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.
The United States and Qatar will be signing
three documents today outlining our cooperation
in the important bilateral and regional areas
mentioned, including three at this ceremony.
The first is a memorandum of understanding
that establishes the convention for this U.S.-Qatar
Strategic Dialogue on an annual basis going
forward, so that we can continue to build
on the close partnership between our two countries.
The second document is a joint declaration
outlining the United States cooperation with
Qatar on matters of shared regional and security
interests.
The third document is a memorandum of understanding
that creates a framework for the cooperation
between the United States and Qatar to combat
human trafficking.
I look forward to the outcomes of today’s
inaugural U.S.-Qatar Strategic Dialogue and
our continued collaboration over the years
to come.
And with that, I’d welcome remarks from
Foreign Minister al-Thani.
FOREIGN MINISTER AL-THANI: Thank you, Mr.
Secretary.
Good morning, dear friend Secretary Tillerson,
dear friend Secretary Mattis, your excellencies
member of the two delegations of the U.S.-Qatar
Strategic Dialogue, ladies and gentlemen.
I am delighted to express on behalf of the
Qatari delegation our deepest gratitude for
the warm welcome.
This year we are celebrating the 45th anniversary
of the U.S.-Qatar alliance.
Our work today represents a milestone in a
historically deep and continuous relationship
between Qatar and the United States in defense,
economic, education, and political unions.
Holding this immensely significant first session
of Qatar-U.S. Strategic Dialogue come as an
expression and a celebration of the enduring
and the close affiliation between our two
countries.
In a recent January phone call between the
President of United States Donald Trump and
His Highness the Emir of Qatar, there – they
have emphasized their mutual determination
to strengthen the bilateral relation.
A number of major agreements will be signed
today covering defense, trade, investment,
and energy – all area where Qatar is committed
to investing in America’s economy.
Qatar is already investing more than $100
billion in the U.S. economy, including $10
billion earmarked for infrastructure.
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.
Qatari companies are investing in the U.S.
financial services, health care, and technology
markets.
From Qatar hosting six prominent U.S. universities
in our education city, to Qatar investment
in the LNG Golden Pass in Texas, our countries
have shared interests – interests that translate
into job opportunities for the American and
Qatari people.
To make all these investments flourish, regional
security is essential.
So today we will also discuss a range of security
issues, including shared threats and further
opportunities of regional cooperation.
This joint endeavor take place despite the
difficult circumstances that Qatar currently
faces as a part of a larger regional crisis
taking place in the Middle East.
The state of Qatar and its people have been
illegally and unjustifiably blockaded.
This blockade disrupts the joint efforts in
providing stabilities for the – stability
for the region.
Let me express my profound gratitude for the
effort of the President Trump, the U.S. Congress,
and Secretaries Tillerson and Mattis and Mnuchin
in taking a just position on the illegal activities
of the blockading states throughout this Gulf
crisis.
We look forward to our continued cooperation
on regional security to deliver long-lasting
peace and security for the Middle East.
In addition to security, both countries are
committing to improving labor standards and
joining forces to stop all forms of human
trafficking.
Qatar and U.S. are committed to delivering
justice to our citizens.
In closing, I reiterate my appreciation for
your effort to ensure that this first round
of the Strategic Dialogue will be held successfully.
We look forward to hosting the second round
in Doha next year.
Our mutual goal is to deepen strategic bonds
between our two countries and go forward together
to yield the greatest mutual benefit.
Thank you.
SECRETARY MATTIS: Excuse me.
Secretary Tillerson, thank you for hosting
this inaugural Qatar-United States Security
Dialogue with our counterparts, Foreign Minister
al-Thani and my friend, the Minister of State
for Defense al-Atiyah.
The United States enjoys a longstanding defense
relationship with Qatar.
A strong and valued military partner, Qatar
is a longtime friend in the region.
Even in the midst of its own current challenges,
Qatar and the United States maintain excellent
military-to-military relations, hosting Al
Udeid Air Base, home to our Combined Air Operations
Center, the United States Air Force Central
Command Forward Headquarters, and U.S. Central
Command’s Forward Headquarters, providing
critical counterterrorism support to the Defeat
ISIS/Defeat Daesh coalition and President
Trump’s South Asia strategy.
We are grateful to Qatar for their longstanding
support of America’s present and continuing
commitment to regional security, a commitment
that includes information sharing and counterterrorism
training.
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.
As Secretary Tillerson stated, a united Gulf
Cooperation Council bolsters our effectiveness
on many fronts, particularly on countering
terrorism, defeating ISIS/Daesh, and countering
the spread of Iran’s malign influence.
It is thus critical that the GCC recovers
its cohesion as the proud Gulf nations return
to mutual support through a peaceful resolution
that provides for enhanced regional stability
and prosperity.
I look forward to a lasting Qatar-U.S. security
relationship, a relationship that will continue
to bolster our efforts against common security
threats and violent extremism.
So thank you, and Minister al-Atiyah.
DEFENSE MINISTER AL-ATIYAH: Secretary Tillerson
and General Mattis, thank you.
Distinguished colleague, I reaffirm the remark
raised by Sheikh Mohammed regarding our special
relation with the U.S. Qatar and the United
States have long enjoyed special relationship,
a relationship built on a mutual respect and
trust.
We have stood together many time in the face
of tyranny, fought those who defied the rule
of law, and walked jointly to confront the
complex and expensive challenges that face
our region today.
The relationship extend beyond the security,
defense, and political.
It extend in the educational, as Sheikh Mohammed
said, energy sector, commerce, and social
tie.
I speak of the special relation that we share
with our friend and allies here in the United
States, and there is no better way to demonstrate
the uniqueness of this relation than by looking
at our military-to-military partnership.
As some of you are acutely aware, Qatar and
the United States have been strategic military
allies for quite some time now.
We have shared our friend burden and have
carried on our own weight in the effort to
bring peace, justice, and stability to our
region and beyond.
This integral meeting marks an important moment
in our relationship with our friend here in
the U.S.
We look forward to building on the existing
infrastructure of our historic and strategic
relationship through exploring a way in which
we are able to expand our bilateral coordination
and further our effort to – in realizing
our shared objective of peace, security and
prosperity for our nation and beyond.
The state of Qatar has never waived its commitment
to stand with friends and allies, especially
when the – when they needed us the most.
When other in the region were no longer able
to accommodate U.S. present of their soil,
Qatar eased restriction and expedited its
offer to host its ally.
Al Udeid airbase, which currently hosts 11,000
of your brave men and women, has been at the
epicenter of the global fight against terrorism.
Qatar has spared no effort in increasing the
readiness and efficiency of Al Udeid operation
by investing billions of dollar in the direct
infrastructure and maintenance of the strategic
airbase.
We are looking toward the future of our military
partnership with the United States as we plan
for the year ahead.
Qatar and its trusted ally have reaffirmed
their commitment toward the stability and
prosperity of both nation.
The recent purchased of the F-15s fighter
jets signal a new era of cooperation.
This strategic bird will assure our readiness
to protect our own border and aid our allies
further in our collective fight toward peace
and stability.
Creation of tens of thousand of jobs directs
– new jobs, and ten of thousand more of
indirect creation job.
The initiative has been jointly constructed
– ensure – and I’m referring to the
military initiative which we are looking to
achieve in Qatar, and we call the 2040 one
– has been jointly constructed to ensure
the safety of the forces serving in Al Udeid
and facilitate future capacity building by
alleviating the classification of Al Udeid
to permanent U.S. base.
The cooperative initiative will include the
exchange of military personnel and the expansion
of Al Udeid airbase, and include on-base housing
for the American service member and their
families, new state-of-the-art schools, as
well as building quality recreational entertainment
and service facility.
Qatar has demonstrated its commitment to well-being
of the community of American service member
in Al Udeid and their family who serves alongside
them by facilitating for needs.
The initiative aim to serve the needs of the
community living in Al Udeid and ease their
transition and assimilation.
In the current Gulf conflict, the disruption
of CT offered the stabilizing allied forces’
effort in the region.
Brave men and women of Qatar, since our inception,
there has been those who wish to impose their
domain over us.
Qatar did not waver then and it will not waver
now.
And to protect the sovereignty and fight of
its independence, the brave people of Qatar
stood firmly with their leader in face of
the mounting hostility directed toward their
country.
They refused to be manipulated or used as
a pawn in an arbitrary and pointless conflict.
We are here today to work for these men and
women, and for the men and women of your great
country, to explore economic, social, military
and social opportunity that would progress
our effort toward prosperity and stability.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
SECRETARY TILLERSON: Thank you very much for
those opening statements, and I think now
we’re going to sign the three memorandums.
ANNOUNCER:  Secretary of State Tillerson and  Deputy Prime Minister  and Minister of Foreign Affairs al-Thani
will sign a Memorandum of Understanding establishing the United States-Qatar Strategic Dialogue.
This high-level annual dialogue which will foster enhanced cooperation in the diplomatic,
security, and economic realms is indicative of the strong partnership  between the United States of America and the State of Qatar.
ANNOUNCER:  Secretary of State Tillerson and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs al-Thani
together with Secretary of Defense Mattis and Deputy Prime Minister and Minster of State
for Defense Affairs al-Atiyah will sign a joint declaration on security cooperation.
The two governments will deepen their partnership on regional security and
counterterrorism initiatives.  The United States intends to work jointly with Qatar to deter and
confront external threats to Qatar territorial integrity.
ANNOUNCER:  Secretary of State Tillerson and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs al-Thani
will sign a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to mutual cooperation in combating
trafficking in persons. The two governments intend to advance
labor protections through the exchange of best practices and technical assistance.
ANNOUNCER:  Thank you press.
SECRETARY TILLERSON:  Thank you everyone.
