*Administration of Donald J. Trump, 2017 *

**Remarks Prior to a Meeting With Amir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar in New York City **

*September 19, 2017 *

*President Trump.* Well, thank you very much. It's my great honor to be with the Amir of Qatar. And we've been friends a long time; people don't realize that. We know each other for a long time. And we are right now in a situation where we're trying to solve a problem in the Middle East, and I think we'll get it solved. I have a very strong feeling that it will be solved pretty quickly.

But we're talking, also, trade and many other things. And we've had a tremendous relationship for the last short period of time, especially since our meeting in Saudi Arabia, which I think was an epic and very important—really, a very historic—meeting. And now we want to make the most of it by getting things settled. But we also want to continue trade and many other things.

So we look forward to our meetings and our individual meetings and for many years to come.

*Amir Tamim.* Thank you very much. Well, Mr. President, thank you very much for receiving me. I'm very happy to be with you here. And as you mentioned, the relationship between the United States of America and Qatar is a very strong relationship, a historic relationship. And since we've met in Riyadh, which was, as you said, a very, very important meeting, and we signed those agreements, we were the first country to respond to this agreement, and we signed this MOU of counterterrorism.

So we really appreciate this relationship, Mr. President. We have a lot to talk about: trade, military cooperation, security cooperation.

So thank you very much. And as you said, Mr. President, we have a problem with our neighbors, and your interference will help a lot. And I'm sure that, with your interference, hopefully, we can find a solution for this problem. We've always said that we're very open for dialogue, and we'll always be open for dialogue.

*President Trump.* We will get it solved. Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. Thank you.

NOTE: The President spoke at 4:06 p.m. in the Hubbard I meeting room at the Lotte New York Palace hotel.

*Categories:* Meetings With Foreign Leaders and International Officials : Qatar, Amir Tamim*.*

*Locations: *Washington, DC.

*Names:* Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir*.*

*Subjects:* New York : President's visits; Qatar : Amir; Qatar : Diplomatic conflict with Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, and Egypt; Qatar : Relations with U.S.; Qatar : Trade with U.S.

*DCPD Number:* DCPD201700660.