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 Qatar |  United States |
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Qatar and the United States are strategic allies. Qatar has been designated a major non-NATO ally by the United States. [1]
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Qatar | United States |
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Qatar and the United States are strategic allies. Qatar has been designated a major non-NATO ally by the United States. [1]
The United States formed diplomatic relations with Qatar on 19 March 1972, when diplomat William Stoltzfus met with Qatari government officials and submitted his credentials. [2] Bilateral relations between the two countries have expanded since the opening of the U.S. embassy in Doha in March 1973. [3] The first resident U.S. ambassador arrived in July 1974. Qatar and the United States coordinate closely on Middle Eastern regional diplomatic initiatives to increase security in the Persian Gulf. The two countries also have extensive economic links, especially in the hydrocarbons sector. [4] Qatar has also developed international educational institutions in the region to cater to the Middle Eastern market. [5] [6] Qatar also hosts an American military facility. [7]
During the 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis, the United States President Donald Trump claimed credit for engineering the diplomatic crisis in a series of tweets. [8] On 6 June, Trump began by tweeting: "During my recent trip to the Middle East I stated that there can no longer be funding of Radical Ideology. Leaders pointed to Qatar – look!" [9] [8] An hour and a half later, he remarked on Twitter that it was "good to see the Saudi Arabia visit with the King and 50 countries already paying off. They said they would take a hard line on funding extremism, and all reference [sic] was pointing to Qatar. Perhaps this will be the beginning of the end to the horror of terrorism!" [10] [11] [12] This was in contrast to attempts by The Pentagon and State department to remain neutral. The Pentagon praised Qatar for hosting the Al Udeid Air Base and for its "enduring commitment to regional security." U.S. Ambassador to Qatar, Dana Shell Smith, sent a similar message. [13] [14] Earlier, the US Secretary of State had taken a neutral stance and called for dialogue. [15] Qatar hosts about 10,000 U.S. troops at Al Udeid Air Base, which houses the forward operating base of United States Central Command that plays a commanding role in US airstrikes in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan. [16] [12] [17] A Pentagon spokesperson claimed the diplomatic crisis would not affect the US military posture in Qatar. [12] [8] On 8 June, President Donald Trump, during a phone call with the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, offered as a mediator in the conflict with a White House meeting between the parties if necessary. [18] The offer was declined, and Qatari official stated, "The emir has no plans to leave Qatar while the country is under a blockade." [19]
On 30 January 2018 an inaugural United States-Qatar Strategic Dialogue meeting was held, co-chaired by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, U.S. Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defense Khalid al-Attiyah and Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. The meeting expressed the need for an immediate resolution of the crisis which respects Qatar’s sovereignty. In a Joint Declaration on Security Cooperation the U.S. expressed its readiness to deter and confront any external threat to Qatar’s territorial integrity. Qatar offered to help fund the expansion of facilities at U.S. bases in Qatar. [20] [21]
Over 1,000 Qatari students study in the United States. [22] Six U.S. universities have branch campuses in Qatar's Education City complex. There are Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Qatar (VCUQ), Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar (WCMC-Q), Texas A&M University at Qatar (TAMUQ), Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar (CMU-Q), Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar (SFS-Qatar), [23] and Northwestern University [24] in 2008.
The relationship between Qatar and the American Academy began in the 1970s and 1980s. In the twenty-first century, Qatar has become the largest foreign donor. Between 2001 and 2021, Qatar donated $4.7 billion to a variety of academic institutions across the United States. [25] [26]
Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani visited Washington in July 2019, [27] and President George W. Bush visited Qatar in 2003 where he spoke to troops stationed there. [28] Donald Rumsfeld, the 21st Secretary of Defense from 2001 to 2006, also visited Qatar in 2002. [29] Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited Qatar in February, 2010, [30] and Secretary John Kerry traveled to Qatar in March, 2013. [31]
Post Sheikh Tamim and Donald Trump’s meeting in July 2019, Qatar agreed to purchase "tremendous amounts of military equipment" and Boeing planes from the United States. [32] [33] The deal has been signed with some of the major US companies, including Boeing, General Electric, Raytheon, Gulfstream Aerospace and Chevron Phillips Chemical and is expected to cost tens of billions of dollars. Sheikh Tamim also announced to double Qatar’s current economic partnership of more than $185 billion with the US. [34]
President Biden and his top advisors have made several visits to Qatar during the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict. The visits were focused on advancing negotiations to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas and discussing the war in Gaza. [35] [36] [37]
Qatar mediated a deal between the United States and Iran, which in September 2023 saw the release of five prisoners in each country and the unfreezing of US$6 billion of Iranian funds, which had been frozen due to sanctions imposed by the U.S. [38] [39] The U.S. citizens were flown to Doha and greeted by U.S. ambassador to Qatar Timmy T. Davis [40] and Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker [41] before boarding a plane to Washington, D.C.. [42] U.S. President Biden thanked Sheik Tamim and Qatari officials for their role in the mediation as well as establishing a "Humanitarian channel" for Iran. [43] The US$6 billion were released to banks in Doha [42] under the condition that Iran could use the funds only for humanitarian purposes. [39]
During the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Qatari officials set up meetings with both countries, hoping to make progress on further talks regarding Iran's uranium enrichment and export of drones. [44]
In October 7, 2023, the Israel-Hamas conflict escalated, following a massive invasion of Israeli territory by Palestinian militant organizations. Amid the conflict, Qatar played a crucial role in securing the release of two American hostages from Hamas. [45] This act of mediation was highly praised by US President Joe Biden. Additionally, Qatar Airways facilitated the safe return of more than 200 Australians from Israel. [46] [47]
Principal U.S. officials include:
The U.S. maintains an embassy [48] in Doha, Qatar.
Principal Qatari officials include:
Qatar maintains an embassy in Washington, DC. [49]
Qatar and the United States enjoy close economic and trade relations. The United States is Qatar's fifth trading partner and the primary source of imports which amounts to $4.108bn. During January–August 2021, the Qatar-US bilateral trade reached $3.2bn. [50]
The US has officially designated Qatar as a major non-NATO ally, enhancing the partnership between Doha and Washington and giving the Gulf country special economic and military privileges in its relationship with the US. [51] This marks Qatar's third Gulf ally, following Kuwait and Bahrain. The US State Department praised the designation as a symbol of the close relationship and respect for the friendship between the two countries. [52] [53]
Beginning in 1992, Qatar has built intimate military ties with the United States, and is now the location of U.S. Central Command’s Forward Headquarters and the Combined Air Operations Center.
As of 2015 [update] , the following American bases currently exist:
In 2003, the US military base Doha International Air Base (also known as Camp Snoopy) was closed. [54]
Former US Defense Secretary Robert Gates stated in May 2017 that he doesn't "know instances in which Qatar aggressively goes after (terror finance) networks of Hamas, Taliban, Al-Qaeda," and that "My attitudes toward Al-Udeid and any other facility is that the United States military doesn’t have any irreplaceable facility." [55] Qatar hosts the largest American base in the Middle East, the Al Udeid Air Base, which has been used by the United States in its campaigns in Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan. [56]
In 2014, the United States sold $11 billion worth of arms to Qatar, including AH-64 Apache attack helicopters and Patriot and Javelin defense systems. [57]
In June 2017, Qatar signed a $12 billion deal to buy 36 F-15QA strike aircraft from the United States, with Boeing as the prime contractor on the sale. [58]
Qatar donated $100 million in aid to New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast in August 2005. [59]
When Hurricane Harvey hit the state of Texas from August to September 2017, Qatar's ambassador announced on 8 September that the country would be donating $30 million in aid to help rebuild Texas. [60]
Foreign relations of Qatar is conducted through its Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Arab states were among the first to recognize Qatar, and the country gained admittance to the United Nations and the Arab League after achieving independence in 1971. The country was an early member of OPEC and a founding member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Diplomatic missions to Qatar are based in its capital, Doha.
Al Udeid Air Base is one of two military bases southwest of Doha, Qatar, also known as Abu Nakhlah Airport.
The Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) is the air arm of the armed forces of the state of Qatar. It was established in 1974 as a small aerial support wing, although in modern times it has evolved into a potent, well equipped force. The QEAF is headquartered at Al-Udeid Air Base in Doha; the current commander is Brigadier General (Pilot) Jassem Mohamed Al-Mannai.
Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani is Emir of Qatar, reigning since 2013.
Qatar News Agency is a state-run Qatari news agency.
The State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkey established bilateral relations in 1972. There has been ongoing cooperation and dialogue in regional and international issues since the 2010s, particularly in the Syrian Civil War and the Egyptian Crisis. Both countries also support the same groups in post-Gaddafi Libya. Most recently, Turkey provided diplomatic and food support to Qatar during the 2017 Qatar diplomatic crisis. Some political analysts claim that bilateral relations are mostly limited to political and military affinity, referring to the low trade volume, lack of trade agreements and absence of Turkish think tanks in Qatar.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the ministry responsible for handling Qatar's external relations as well as its diplomatic efforts, including the maintenance of its diplomatic missions across the globe. The current minister is Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Qatar has been accused of allowing terror financiers to operate within its borders, which has been one of the justifications for the Qatar diplomatic crisis that started in 2017 and ended in 2021. In 2014, David S. Cohen, then United States Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence, accused Qatari authorities of allowing financiers who were on international blacklists to live freely in the country: "There are U.S.- and UN-designated terrorist financiers in Qatar that have not been acted against under Qatari law." Accusations come from a wide variety of sources including intelligence reports, government officials, and journalists.
Qatar – United Kingdom relations (Arabic: العلاقات البريطانية القطرية, romanized: al-ʻAlāqāt al-Barīṭānīyah al-Qaṭarīyah are the bilateral relations between the State of Qatar and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, covering a wide range of issues and activities of mutual interest.
France–Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between France and the Qatar. The first embassy to be established was the Qatari embassy in France in 1972, and the first bilateral agreement was signed in 1974. Qatar has marked various concurrences with France, covering all areas such as cultural, political, economical, academic, scientific and military agreements. The nations are tied in a key discourse protocol, where conversation over various issues of significance to the two capitals are occurring consistently.
Iran–Qatar relations refer to the bilateral relations between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the State of Qatar. Iran has an embassy in Doha while Qatar has an embassy in Tehran. Qatar and Iran have close ties.
The Qatar diplomatic crisis was a high-profile incident involving the deterioration of ties between Qatar and the Arab League between 2017 and 2021. It began when Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and Egypt simultaneously severed their bilateral relations with Qatar and subsequently banned Qatar-registered aircraft and Qatari ships from utilizing their sovereign territory by air, land, and sea; this involved the Saudis' closure of Qatar's only land crossing, initiating a de facto blockade of the country. Tensions between the two sides came to a close in January 2021, following a resolution between the Saudis and the Qataris.
Germany–Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between Germany and the State of Qatar. Relations were first commenced in 1973.
Japan–Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between Japan and Qatar. Diplomatic relations were established in 1972. The two countries share strong economic ties, with Japan being Qatar's foremost trading partner, and Qatar ranking as Japan's sixth most significant import partner in 2016. Japan has an embassy in Doha. Qatar also has an embassy in Tokyo. In 2023, Japan declared Qatar one of its visa-exempt countries.
The Qatar–Saudi Arabia diplomatic conflict refers to the ongoing struggle for regional influence between Qatar and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), both of which are members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). It is sometimes called the New Arab Cold War. Bilateral relations have been especially strained since the beginning of the Arab Spring, that left a power vacuum both states sought to fill, with Qatar being supportive of the revolutionary wave and Saudi Arabia opposing it. Both states are allies of the United States, and have avoided direct conflict with one another.
Italy–Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between Italy and Qatar. Italy has an embassy in Doha and Qatar has an embassy in Rome.
China – Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between the People's Republic of China and the State of Qatar. China has an embassy in Doha, while Qatar has an embassy in Beijing. With diplomatic relations first formed in 1988, Qatar is a strategic ally of China, and the two countries maintain a strong relationship.
The State of Qatar and the Kingdom of Spain formed diplomatic relations in December 1972. Qatar maintains an embassy in Madrid, while Spain has an embassy in Doha.
Jordan – Qatar relations are the bilateral relations between the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the State of Qatar. Diplomatic relations were established in 1972. Jordan has an embassy in Doha. Qatar also has an embassy in Amman.
In the mid-1990s, Qatar adopted a more independent foreign policy and took diplomatic role of a mediator in conflicts within Arab states and increasingly plays active roles in global anti-terrorism campaigns and peacemaking. Its counterterrorism policy involves a combination of enactment of anti-terrorism laws for home land security and mediation between designated international terrorist groups and states using its “Open-door Policy”, to facilitate peace talks. Its position in the Middle East and close links with terrorist groups is seen as a great asset to western intelligence community.
This article incorporates public domain material from U.S. Bilateral Relations Fact Sheets. United States Department of State.
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