DOHA — Qatar and the US signed here a series of deals to boost bilateral
cooperation following a meeting between the two heads of state, according to a
statement from the Emiri Diwan, the administrative office of the Qatari Emir.
The two sides on Wednesday signed a purchase agreement
for Boeing aircraft, which is described by the White House in a fact sheet
elaborating on some of the deals as a "historic" sale order worth $96
billion, with Qatar Airways' acquisition of up to 210 Boeing 787 Dreamliner and
777X aircraft, Xinhua news agency reported.
Qatar and the US also signed a statement of intent on
defence cooperation, outlining over $38 billion in potential investments, including
support for burden-sharing at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and future defence
capabilities related to air and maritime security.
In addition, two letters of offer and acceptance were
signed, one for US General Atomics MQ-9B drones and the other for a counter-drone
system developed by US defence firm Raytheon, with the US securing agreements
valued at about $3 billion in total, according to the White House fact sheet.
A joint declaration of cooperation between the two
governments was also signed.
Prior to the signing ceremony, Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim
bin Hamad Al Thani and US President Donald Trump held talks on a range of
bilateral issues, with a particular focus on investment, energy, military, and
security cooperation.
They also discussed regional and international
developments, particularly those in the Middle East, with the Qatari Emir
emphasising the importance of promoting peace and stability in the region.
The US President has thanked his Qatari hosts for having
helped "negotiated the release of the last living American hostage in
Gaza, Edan Alexander".
"Hopefully, this is a stepping stone for getting the
rest of the hostages back," Trump said as he spoke at a state dinner in
Lusail Palace.
Trump also revisited some of his usual talking points,
speaking about his 2024 election success and reported increases in military
recruitment in the US.
The meeting came during Trump's visit to the Gulf state,
part of his first major overseas tour since taking office in January -- a trip
that also includes stops in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
