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Mattis affirms US-Qatar cooperation: Pentagon

Mattis stressed on de-escalating tensions so all partners in the Gulf region can focus on meeting common goals,

Afp July 07, 2017

qatar 039 s foreign minister mohammed bin abdulrahman al thani l and us secretary of state rex tillerson shake hands before a meeting at the us state department on june 27 2017 in washington dc photo afp

Qatar's Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani (L) and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson shake hands before a meeting at the US State Department on June 27, 2017 in Washington, DC. PHOTO: AFP

WASHINGTON: US Defense Secretary Jim Mattis reaffirmed America's strategic security partnership with Qatar on Thursday, the Pentagon said, amid a diplomatic crisis in the Gulf.

It was also announced that Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to Kuwait - one of the countries angry at Qatar in the spat - on July 10 at the invitation of Kuwait to discuss the row. Mattis, who spoke with his Qatari counterpart Khaled bin Mohammed al-Attiyah by phone, discussed the status of operations against the Islamic State group.

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Qatar hosts a vital US-led command center at the Al-Udeid air base, where the anti-IS coalition launches raids against the militants. "Secretary Mattis and Minister al-Attiyah affirmed their commitment to continued US-Qatar cooperation and deepening their strategic partnership," a Pentagon readout of the conversation stated.
Saudi Arabia is leading a four-country blockade of Qatar in the region's biggest crisis in years.

Mattis stressed the importance of de-escalating tensions "so all partners in the Gulf region can focus on next steps in meeting common goals," the readout stated.