President Donald Trump vouched publicly on Tuesday for Qatar's efforts to stop the funding of terrorism, reversing his past critique and lending presidential credence to Qatari claims that it's been unfairly maligned by its Persian Gulf rivals.

Less than a year ago, Trump stood in the Rose Garden and chided the tiny, gas-rich nation for historically funding terror at a "high level," as he broke with his secretary of state by siding against Qatar in its row with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and other neighbors. Since then, Qatar has mounted an aggressive and well-funded campaign to rehabilitate its image in the U.S. and prove it's a reliable American partner.

As Qatar's ruling emir visited the White House on Tuesday, the fruits of that labor began to show.

"You've now become a very big advocate, and we appreciate it," Trump told Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. "A lot of countries were funding terrorism and we're stopping it. It's getting stopped and fast — very important."

He specifically called out Saudi Arabia and the UAE as other countries where terror financing has been a problem in the past.

The emir, seated next to Trump in the Oval Office, was unequivocal in insisting his country maintains a zero-tolerance policy. He repeated the point several times as reporters and cameras were allowed in briefly for the start of their meeting.

"I want to make something very clear, Mr. President," the Qatari emir said. "We do not and we will not tolerate with people who fund terrorism. We've been cooperating with the United States of America to stop funding terrorism around the region."

When the Persian Gulf crisis erupted last summer, Trump was initially sympathetic to concerns voiced by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt who accused Qatar of spreading extremism, fomenting opposition in the region and cozying up to Iran. Qatar has denied all those charges, and then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson urged the president to adopt a more neutral stance in the crisis. Trump came out swinging against Qatar anyway, as his administration pursued closer ties with the Saudis and a ramped up its critiques of Iran.

Yet almost a year later, the crisis has remained deadlocked, despite Qatar's efforts to address at least the U.S. concerns, even allowing Treasury Department officials into its central bank. Saudi Arabia and others have continued squeezing the country diplomatically and financially with a partial blockade, arguing those steps were wholly insufficient to address their long list of demands on Qatar, which included shutting down Qatari broadcaster Al-Jazeera.

Over the months, Trump's administration has lost patience with the crisis, especially after an early U.S. effort to mediate a resolution sputtered. Trump hasn't recently repeated the charge about Qatari funding for extremism, and U.S. officials have credited Qatar with making progress in cracking down and improving transparency.

Still, as Trump praised the emir as a "great gentleman" and a "friend of mine," it was unclear how much of the warm reception was due to Trump's time-honored habit of chiding his opponents from afar but then softening when they come face to face.

Nor was it clear what gave the president any reason to be optimistic the Gulf crisis will end any time soon. If there's one thing Qatar and its neighbors currently agree on, it's that there's been essentially zero progress in resolving it, with both sides firmly dug in.

"We're working on unity in that part of the Middle East and I think it's working out very well," Trump said nonetheless. "There are a lot of good things happening."

Trump has spoken recently to the leaders of most of the countries involved in the dispute, and has pushed all five nations to resolve it, the State Department said. As a key example of Qatar's efforts on counter-terrorism, the State Department pointed out that in March, Qatar added roughly two dozen people and entities on its terror blacklist.

There have been other signs that Trump is warming to the Qataris. The day before the emir's visit, the administration told Congress it plans to approve a deal to sell $300 million in "Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems" to Qatar, including 5,000 high-explosive warheads and the same number of rocket motors. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said that the laser-guided rockets would help Qatar modernize its military and wouldn't alter the basic military balance in the region.

Trump cast Qatar's military purchases as part of an economy-juicing opportunity for the U.S.

"We have a gentleman on my right who buys a lot of equipment from us, a lot of purchases in the United States and a lot of military airplanes, missiles, lots of different things," Trump said.

The meeting came shortly after Trump greeted Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman with pomp and pageantry at the White House last month at the start of the crown prince's marathon tour of the U.S. The de facto leader of another Qatari opponent, the UAE, will also soon visit the White House.

Qatar has long sought to stress its role as an agreeable U.S. partner in a strategically vital region. The country hosts some 10,000 U.S. troops at al-Udeid Air Base, a key command center for U.S. forces in the Middle East, and has been building new facilities for U.S. troops there at Qatari expense in a bid to make it more comfortable for the Americans.

___

Associated Press writer Ken Thomas contributed to this report.

___

Reach Josh Lederman on Twitter at http://twitter.com/joshledermanAP</s>Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is welcomed by French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe in Paris, Monday April 9, 2018. AP Photo/Francois Mori
• Saudi Arabia could consider a proposal to dig a maritime canal along the kingdom's border with Qatar.
• This would turn Qatar into an island.
• The project has not been given official approval and faces many obstacles.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia could consider a proposal to dig a maritime canal along the kingdom's border with Qatar, turning the peninsula-nation into an island and transforming its only land border into a military zone and nuclear waste site, state-linked Saudi newspapers reported Monday.

The project has not been given official approval and faces many obstacles. Still, the proposal signals a new low in the 10-month-old feud between Qatar and a quartet of nations that includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain.

The four accuse Qatar of sponsoring terrorism because of its support for Islamist opposition groups in the region and its warm relations with Iran. Qatar denies the allegations and says the moves attempt to undermine its sovereignty.

Qatar's ruling emir, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met in Washington on Monday with U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. He is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia's Sabq and al-Riyadh newspapers carried nearly identical reports Monday saying that under the proposal, Saudi Arabia would transform part of its side of the border with Qatar into a military base and another area would become a dump site for waste from nuclear reactors the kingdom wants to build. The UAE, meanwhile, would also build a nuclear waste site at the closest point near its border with Qatar.

An earlier report by Sabq newspaper ran with a headline saying the canal project would "turn Qatar into an island" and would take just 12 months to complete.

The so-called Salwa Marine Canal project would be funded by Saudi and Emirati investors and dug by Egyptian companies with experience in the Suez Canal.

A traditional dhow floats at the Corniche Bay area as tall buildings of the financial district provide a back drop, a day ahead of the start of AFC Asian Cup soccer tournament in Doha, Qatar, Thursday Jan. 6, 2011. AP Photo/Saurabh Das

Sabq reports the canal would span the entirety of the border with Qatar, creating waterfront coastline for resorts, private beaches and Gulf cruise liners. The canal, estimated to cost 2.8 billion riyals ($750 million), would stretch 200 meters wide (656 feet) wide and up to 20 meters deep (66 feet).

Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, became the first high-ranking official to comment on the proposal. In a string of tweets, he said the project is "proof of Qatar's failure to manage and solve its crisis" and that Doha's silence on the canal project "is proof of their fear and confusion."

Qatari government spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The quartet has imposed a de facto blockade of Qatar since June. Saudi Arabia sealed shut Qatar's only land crossing, cutting off a key route for food and construction imports. The four nations also expelled Qatari nationals and called on their citizens in Qatar to leave. They have barred Qatari flights from using their airspace and have supported alternative members of the ruling Al Thani family in exile.</s>The $750m project, which is still awaiting official approval, would be funded by Saudi and Emirati investors, and could be completed in as little as 12 months by Egyptian construction companies with experience building the Suez Canal. The project can be seen as an extension of hostilities between the two nations, which commenced last June when Saudi Arabia launched a sea, air and land blockade on its smaller neighbour along with Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE. The conflict arose over grievances surrounding Qatar’s supposed relations with Iran, its funding of the news network Al-Jazeera, and its reported funding of Muslim Brotherhood groups around the world. The canal, which would be located between the Salwa and Khawr al-Udayd regions of Saudi Arabia, would further strengthen the blockade imposed on Qatar by ending land trade and allowing ships to bypass the emirate entirely.

This may be seen as an attempt to further reduce trade to Qatar and force the country to acquiesce to Saudi Arabia’s demands. The waterway, which would reportedly be 15 to 20 metres deep, would be able to be accessed by container ships, tankers, along with cruise ships. The project is consequently being billed as a new economic hub for the country, which is seeking to diversify its economy away from an over-dependence on oil as part of its Saudi Vision 2030 initiative. Plans for a series of five-star hotels and resorts along the canal, along with a number of ports and a free trade zone have been proposed.

Questions have however arisen over whether such a project would receive sufficient demand, as the proposed location is in a sparsely populated region, far from major urban areas. A key source of tourism from Qatar has also been shut off due to the ongoing blockade between the two nations. Yet beyond commercial and tourist facilities, the project will also reportedly feature a military zone with a one kilometre exclusion zone along the Qatar border. The Saudi Gazette commented on this proposal, saying: “The canal will nullify all the land borders, and it will be purely Saudi territories for a length of 1km from the official border with the State of Qatar.

“This will make the terrestrial area adjacent to Qatar a military zone for protection and monitoring.” It remains unclear as to how serious or developed these plans are, and many commentators view them as propaganda from Saudi Arabia in its ongoing campaign against Qatar. Despite pressures from Saudi Arabia, Qatar has rejected a number of demands made on the nation, including closing news broadcasters Al-Jazeers and The New Arab. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, HE Lulwah Rashid al-Khater, said the measures taken by the quartet amount to an “economic war”. She stressed that while Qatar hopes the issues can be resolved through diplomatic channels and dialogue, all efforts will be made to ensure that people adversely affected by the blockade get redress.</s>DUBAI — Saudi Arabia surprised investors Tuesday with the abrupt sale of $11 billion in bonds, roiling its rival Qatar’s plans to raise debt and fueling concerns that a diplomatic standoff was bleeding into the financial world.

Bankers on the deal said the Saudi bond sale came without the normal dayslong sales pitch to investors across multiple Western financial capitals — known as a roadshow. It came a day after Qatar began its own roadshow for its first bond sale in nearly two years, the bankers said, and could sap interest in the smaller country’s bonds.

Read: U.S. worries Qatar getting pushed toward Iran’s sphere of influence

Riyadh and Doha have been at odds since June, when Saudi Arabia and its allies, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt cut off ties with Qatar. The countries have severed diplomatic relationships with Qatar and stopped almost all trade with the tiny Persian Gulf emirate.

Middle Eastern bankers said the Saudi bond sale’s timing suggested that the Saudi-Qatar rivalry had found its way into capital markets. Qatar may now be forced to offer more generous terms to attract sufficient buyers, bankers said. “This is all generally speaking not very good for the financial markets,” said Mohieddine Kronfol, chief investment officer of Global Sukuk and MENA fixed income at Franklin Templeton Investments. “You don’t want the politics to sort of get to that level,” he said.

An expanded version of this report appears on WSJ.com.

Trump lawyer Michael Cohen described as a ‘3 a.m. break-the-glass call.’

One year of ‘college’ with no degree, but no debt and a job at the end.</s>Saudi Arabia could consider a proposal to dig a maritime canal along the kingdom's border with Qatar, turning the peninsula-nation into an island and transforming its only land border into a military zone and nuclear waste site, state-linked Saudi newspapers reported on Monday.

The project has not been given official approval and faces many obstacles. Still, the proposal signals a new low in the 10-month-old feud between Qatar and a quartet of nations that includes Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Bahrain.

The four accuse Qatar of sponsoring terrorism because of its support for miltant opposition groups in the region and its warm relations with Iran. Qatar denies the allegations and says the moves attempt to undermine its sovereignty.

Qatar's ruling emir, Sheik Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, met in Washington on Monday with United States Defence Secretary Jim Mattis. He is scheduled to meet President Donald Trump on Tuesday.

Saudi Arabia's Sabq and al-Riyadh newspapers carried nearly identical reports Monday saying that under the proposal, Saudi Arabia would transform part of its side of the border with Qatar into a military base and another area would become a dump site for waste from nuclear reactors the kingdom wants to build.

The UAE, meanwhile, would also build a nuclear waste site at the closest point near its border with Qatar.

An earlier report by Sabq newspaper ran with a headline saying the canal project would “turn Qatar into an island” and would take just 12 months to complete.

The so-called Salwa Marine Canal project would be funded by Saudi and Emirati investors and dug by Egyptian companies with experience in the Suez Canal.

Sabq reports the canal would span the entirety of the border with Qatar, creating waterfront coastline for resorts, private beaches and Gulf cruise liners. The canal, estimated to cost 2.8 billion riyals ($750 million), would stretch 200 meters wide and up to 20 meters deep.

Emirati Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Anwar Gargash, became the first high-ranking official to comment on the proposal. In a string of tweets, he said the project is “proof of Qatar's failure to manage and solve its crisis” and that Doha's silence on the canal project “is proof of their fear and confusion.” Qatari government spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The quartet has imposed a de facto blockade of Qatar since June. Saudi Arabia sealed shut Qatar's only land crossing, cutting off a key route for food and construction imports. The four nations also expelled Qatari nationals and called on their citizens in Qatar to leave.

They have barred Qatari flights from using their airspace and have supported alternative members of the ruling Al Thani family in exile.</s>The $750m project, which is still awaiting official approval, would be funded by Saudi and Emirati investors, and could be completed in as little as 12 months by Egyptian construction companies with experience building the Suez Canal. The project can be seen as an extension of hostilities between the two nations, which commenced last June when Saudi Arabia launched a sea, air and land blockade on its smaller neighbour along with Egypt, Bahrain and the UAE. The conflict arose over grievances surrounding Qatar’s supposed relations with Iran, its funding of the news network Al-Jazeera, and its reported funding of Muslim Brotherhood groups around the world. The canal, which would be located between the Salwa and Khawr al-Udayd regions of Saudi Arabia, would further strengthen the blockade imposed on Qatar by ending land trade and allowing ships to bypass the emirate entirely.

This may be seen as an attempt to further reduce trade to Qatar and force the country to acquiesce to Saudi Arabia’s demands. The waterway, which would reportedly be 15 to 20 metres deep, would be able to be accessed by container ships, tankers, along with cruise ships. The project is consequently being billed as a new economic hub for the country, which is seeking to diversify its economy away from an over-dependence on oil as part of its Saudi Vision 2030 initiative. Plans for a series of five-star hotels and resorts along the canal, along with a number of ports and a free trade zone have been proposed.

Questions have however arisen over whether such a project would receive sufficient demand, as the proposed location is in a sparsely populated region, far from major urban areas. A key source of tourism from Qatar has also been shut off due to the ongoing blockade between the two nations. Yet beyond commercial and tourist facilities, the project will also reportedly feature a military zone with a one kilometre exclusion zone along the Qatar border. The Saudi Gazette commented on this proposal, saying: “The canal will nullify all the land borders, and it will be purely Saudi territories for a length of 1km from the official border with the State of Qatar.

“This will make the terrestrial area adjacent to Qatar a military zone for protection and monitoring.” It remains unclear as to how serious or developed these plans are, and many commentators view them as propaganda from Saudi Arabia in its ongoing campaign against Qatar. Despite pressures from Saudi Arabia, Qatar has rejected a number of demands made on the nation, including closing news broadcasters Al-Jazeers and The New Arab. Qatari Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, HE Lulwah Rashid al-Khater, said the measures taken by the quartet amount to an “economic war”. She stressed that while Qatar hopes the issues can be resolved through diplomatic channels and dialogue, all efforts will be made to ensure that people adversely affected by the blockade get redress.</s>WASHINGTON — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s visit with the ruling emir of Qatar (all times local):

The ruling emir of Qatar is telling President Donald Trump his country stands firmly against terrorism.

Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is telling Trump “we do not tolerate people who support or fund terrorism.” Trump once accused the tiny gas-rich nation of funding terrorism at a “high level.”

Trump says in the Oval Office that “we’re making sure that terrorism funding is stopped” in the region.

The emir is also thanking Trump for his role in trying to solve the crisis involving Qatar and America’s allies in the Persian Gulf. He says Trump’s role “is very vital to end the crisis in the region.”

President Donald Trump is welcoming the ruling emir of Qatar to the White House.

Trump greeted Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Tuesday. Trump once accused the tiny gas-rich nation of funding terrorism at a “high level.”

The leaders are set to hold a meeting and working lunch that the White House said would focus on strengthening ties, including security and economic issues.

America’s allies in the Persian Gulf are feuding with Qatar. When the dispute began 10 months ago, Trump sided with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and neighbours who accused Qatar of spreading extremism, fomenting regional unrest and allowing funds to flow to terror groups. Qatar denies all those charges.

Trump hasn’t repeated that charge recently and Qatar has since taken steps to address U.S. concerns.

President Donald Trump is hosting the ruling emir of Qatar, the tiny gas-rich nation he once accused of funding terrorism.

Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will be at the White House on Tuesday. White House officials say they’ll discuss strengthening ties, including security and economic issues.

Last summer, Trump took the side of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries in their ongoing diplomatic crisis with Qatar. He said Qatar had historically supported terror groups at a “high level.” Qatar denies that charge but has taken steps to address U.S. concerns.

In a phone call last week, Trump credited the emir with working to counter terror financing and extremism. The White House says they also discussed concerns about Iran and the need to resolve the Gulf crisis.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump’s visit with the ruling emir of Qatar (all times local):

The ruling emir of Qatar is telling President Donald Trump his country stands firmly against terrorism.

Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani is telling Trump “we do not tolerate people who support or fund terrorism.” Trump once accused the tiny gas-rich nation of funding terrorism at a “high level.”

Trump says in the Oval Office that “we’re making sure that terrorism funding is stopped” in the region.

The emir is also thanking Trump for his role in trying to solve the crisis involving Qatar and America’s allies in the Persian Gulf. He says Trump’s role “is very vital to end the crisis in the region.”

President Donald Trump is welcoming the ruling emir of Qatar to the White House.

Trump greeted Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Tuesday. Trump once accused the tiny gas-rich nation of funding terrorism at a “high level.”

The leaders are set to hold a meeting and working lunch that the White House said would focus on strengthening ties, including security and economic issues.

America’s allies in the Persian Gulf are feuding with Qatar. When the dispute began 10 months ago, Trump sided with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and neighbors who accused Qatar of spreading extremism, fomenting regional unrest and allowing funds to flow to terror groups. Qatar denies all those charges.

Trump hasn’t repeated that charge recently and Qatar has since taken steps to address U.S. concerns.

President Donald Trump is hosting the ruling emir of Qatar, the tiny gas-rich nation he once accused of funding terrorism.

Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will be at the White House on Tuesday. White House officials say they’ll discuss strengthening ties, including security and economic issues.

Last summer, Trump took the side of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries in their ongoing diplomatic crisis with Qatar. He said Qatar had historically supported terror groups at a “high level.” Qatar denies that charge but has taken steps to address U.S. concerns.

In a phone call last week, Trump credited the emir with working to counter terror financing and extremism. The White House says they also discussed concerns about Iran and the need to resolve the Gulf crisis.

The Washington Times is switching its third-party commenting system from Disqus to Spot.IM. You will need to either create an account with Spot.im or if you wish to use your Disqus account look under the Conversation for the link "Have a Disqus Account?". Please read our The Washington Times is switching its third-party commenting system from Disqus to Spot.IM. You will need to either create an account with Spot.im or if you wish to use your Disqus account look under the Conversation for the link "Have a Disqus Account?". Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.</s>President Donald Trump is hosting the ruling emir of Qatar, the tiny gas-rich nation he once accused of funding terrorism.

Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will be at the White House on Tuesday. White House officials say they’ll discuss strengthening ties, including security and economic issues.

Last summer, Trump took the side of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries in their ongoing diplomatic crisis with Qatar. He said Qatar had historically supported terror groups at a “high level.” Qatar denies that charge but has taken steps to address US concerns.

In a phone call last week, Trump credited the emir with working to counter terror financing and extremism. The White House says they also discussed concerns about Iran and the need to resolve the Gulf crisis.</s>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s visit with the ruling emir of Qatar (all times local):

President Donald Trump is welcoming the ruling emir of Qatar to the White House.

Trump greeted Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani Tuesday. Trump once accused the tiny gas-rich nation of funding terrorism at a “high level.”

The leaders are set to hold a meeting and working lunch that the White House said would focus on strengthening ties, including security and economic issues.

America’s allies in the Persian Gulf are feuding with Qatar. When the dispute began 10 months ago, Trump sided with Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and neighbors who accused Qatar of spreading extremism, fomenting regional unrest and allowing funds to flow to terror groups. Qatar denies all those charges.

Trump hasn’t repeated that charge recently and Qatar has since taken steps to address U.S. concerns.

President Donald Trump is hosting the ruling emir of Qatar, the tiny gas-rich nation he once accused of funding terrorism.

Qatar’s Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani will be at the White House on Tuesday. White House officials say they’ll discuss strengthening ties, including security and economic issues.

Last summer, Trump took the side of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries in their ongoing diplomatic crisis with Qatar. He said Qatar had historically supported terror groups at a “high level.” Qatar denies that charge but has taken steps to address U.S. concerns.

In a phone call last week, Trump credited the emir with working to counter terror financing and extremism. The White House says they also discussed concerns about Iran and the need to resolve the Gulf crisis.
U.S. President Donald Trump hosts Qatari emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and praises the nation's efforts to combat terrorism, reversing his previous stance that Qatar funded terrorists at a "high level". Qatar and its neighbours are presently disputing the level and nature of terrorism in Qatar.