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-the key mediator in the crisis-on July 10 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.
Qatar hosts a vital US-led command center at the Al-Udeid air base, where the anti-IS coalition launches raids against the jihadists.
“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.
Reuters report adds: The United States is increasingly concerned that a rift between Qatar and other Arab states is at an impasse and could drag on for a long time or intensify, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday.
Underscoring U.S. concerns about a crisis involving key allies in the Middle East, the department said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to visit Kuwait, which is mediating in the dispute, on Monday.
In the latest top-level U.S. contact with officials of the countries involved in the dispute, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis discussed the importance of easing tensions in a phone call with Qatari Minister of State for Defense Affairs Khalid al-Attiyah on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain broke diplomatic relations with Qatar last month and launched a drive to boycott the gas-producing state, which they accuse of supporting terrorism and allying with regional foe Iran.
Qatar denies the charges and has accused the four countries of “clear aggression.”
“We remain very concerned about that ongoing situation between Qatar and GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a briefing.
“We’ve become increasingly concerned that dispute is at an impasse at this point. We believe that this could potentially drag on for weeks. It could drag on for months. It could possibly even intensify,” she said.
Mattis discussed the state of relations among Gulf Arab states and “the importance of de-escalating tensions” in his call with Attiyah, the Pentagon said in a statement.
The two officials “affirmed the strategic security partnership” of their countries and Mattis emphasized the importance of Qatar’s contributions to the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State, it added.
Qatar hosts the largest U.S. Air Force base in the region. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, and U.S. President Donald Trump sealed a $110 billion arms deal with the kingdom during a visit in May.
The rift opened days after Trump met Arab leaders in Riyadh in May and called for unity against Iran and hardline Islamist militant groups.
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-the key mediator in the crisis-on July 10 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.
Qatar hosts a vital US-led command center at the Al-Udeid air base, where the anti-IS coalition launches raids against the jihadists.
“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.
Reuters report adds: The United States is increasingly concerned that a rift between Qatar and other Arab states is at an impasse and could drag on for a long time or intensify, the U.S. State Department said on Thursday.
Underscoring U.S. concerns about a crisis involving key allies in the Middle East, the department said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson plans to visit Kuwait, which is mediating in the dispute, on Monday.
In the latest top-level U.S. contact with officials of the countries involved in the dispute, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis discussed the importance of easing tensions in a phone call with Qatari Minister of State for Defense Affairs Khalid al-Attiyah on Thursday.
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Bahrain broke diplomatic relations with Qatar last month and launched a drive to boycott the gas-producing state, which they accuse of supporting terrorism and allying with regional foe Iran.
Qatar denies the charges and has accused the four countries of “clear aggression.”
“We remain very concerned about that ongoing situation between Qatar and GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert told a briefing.
“We’ve become increasingly concerned that dispute is at an impasse at this point. We believe that this could potentially drag on for weeks. It could drag on for months. It could possibly even intensify,” she said.
Mattis discussed the state of relations among Gulf Arab states and “the importance of de-escalating tensions” in his call with Attiyah, the Pentagon said in a statement.
The two officials “affirmed the strategic security partnership” of their countries and Mattis emphasized the importance of Qatar’s contributions to the U.S.-led coalition fighting Islamic State, it added.
Qatar hosts the largest U.S. Air Force base in the region. Saudi Arabia has been a close U.S. ally for decades, and U.S. President Donald Trump sealed a $110 billion arms deal with the kingdom during a visit in May.
The rift opened days after Trump met Arab leaders in Riyadh in May and called for unity against Iran and hardline Islamist militant groups.
