Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout:
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter met today with Qatari Minister of State for Defense Affairs Khalid al-Attiyah. The secretary and the minister of state for defense affirmed the longtime security partnership between the U.S. and Qatar. They discussed a range of issues related to mutual security interests, including countering violent extremism from groups like ISIL.
This is the first bilateral meeting between the secretary and minister of state for defense. Secretary Carter identified several areas where the United States and Qatar can deepen their security cooperation for the benefit of both countries, such as their continued cooperation in confronting violent extremism, military-to-military exchanges on subjects such as education and medical care, and Qatar’s constructive engagement with GCC partners in the region.
Secretary Carter thanked Minister al-Attiyah for Qatar's support for a closer partnership, and reaffirmed their strong relationship, noting that the two countries share many common interests.