Pentagon chief spokesperson Dana W. White provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis spoke by telephone today with Qatari Minister of State for Defense Affairs Dr. Khalid al-Attiyah to discuss the security partnership between the U.S. and Qatar. The secretary and the minister affirmed the strategic security partnership and discussed mutual security interests, including the current status of operations against ISIS.
The secretary emphasized the importance of Qatar's contributions to the D-ISIS coalition, in particular the recent Qatari contribution of C-17 cargo aircraft to the campaign to defeat ISIS. The Secretary also discussed the state of relations among the nations of the Gulf Cooperation Council and the importance of de-escalating tensions so all partners in the Gulf region can focus on next steps in meeting common goals.
Secretary Mattis and Minister al-Attiyah affirmed their commitment to continued U.S.-Qatar cooperation and deepening their strategic partnership.