TUESDAY JULY 9, 2019 DHU AL-QADAH 6, 1440 VOL.12 NO. 4681 QR 2 DUSTY Fajr: 3:21 am Dhuhr: 11:39 am HIGH : 46°C Asr: 3:03 pm Maghrib: 6:29 pm LOW : 34°C Isha: 7:59 pm MAIN BRANCH LULU HYPER SANAYYA ALKHOR Business 10 Sports 13 Doha D-Ring Road Street-17 M & J Building MATAR QADEEM MANSOURA ABU HAMOUR BIN OMRAN Strong retail, GRE deposits underpin Cricket World Cup 2019: Near Ahli Bank Al Meera Petrol Station Al Meera Qatari banks’ funding profiles: S&P India ooze confidence alzamanexchange www.alzamanexchange.com 44441448 AMIR TO MEET US PRESIDENT AT WHITE HOUSE TODAY Qatar-US relations very strong: Amir The two countries will work together to ease Amir’s visit affirms strength tension in the region of Qatar-US relations QNA WASHINGTON QNA ship in the economy, investment, DOHA defence and culture. The last visit THE Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin of the Amir to the US was in 2018, Hamad al Thani and US Defence THE Amir HH Sheikh Tamim when he met with Trump, who Secretary Mark T Esper held a meet- bin Hamad al Thani began an of- stressed on the strength of bilat- ing at the Pentagon on Monday. ficial visit to the US on Monday. eral ties. At the beginning of the meet- The Amir will meet US President The strategic dialogue between ing, Esper welcomed the Amir, Donald Trump at the White House the two countries, which has seen saying the relations between Qatar on Tuesday to discuss ways to en- two rounds so far, is a reflection of and the US are stronger than ever. hance strategic cooperation be- strong bilateral ties in all fields. He praised the strategic role played tween the two countries in differ- A joint statement on the out- by the Al Udeid Air Base and its ent fields. They will also exchange comes of the latest round of talks support for the American military. views on the latest regional and saw both sides expressing their He said Qatar’s willingness to international developments. support to expanding bilateral ties host the US forces for a long time The Amir is also set to meet a and cooperation. The two sides symbolises the close ties between number of high-ranking US ad- stressed their commitment to the two countries. ministration officials and Con- enhancing commerce and invest- He stressed the importance of gress members. ment, highlighting the strength of these forces in supporting stability The visit will see the signing of bilateral trade. Qatar highlighted in the Middle East, and praised the several memorandums of under- the US as its biggest trading part- efforts of Qatar in easing the cur- The Amir HH Sheikh Tamim bin standing (MoUs) and agreements ner in terms of import, with 18 rent tensions. Hamad al Thani and US Defence between the two countries in the percent of Qatar’s total imports As for Qatar’s continued prepa- Secretary Mark T Esper held a fields of defence, energy, invest- coming from the US in 2018. rations for hosting the 2022 World meeting at the Pentagon on Mon- ment and aerial transport. Qatar-US relations have been Cup, he congratulated the Amir on day. The Amir arrived in Washing- The White House said the visit strong and well established for this mega sporting event, describ- ton on Monday on an official visit would contribute to enhancing more than 45 years. ing Doha as a “wonderful city” and to the US; (right) The Amir was economic and security ties, in ad- Qatar has a distinct position stressing that the world will be very welcomed upon arrival at Andrews dition to discussing latest regional on the US relations map as an impressed by the hospitality of the Air Force Base by Acting Chief of developments, security coopera- ally, a strategic partner, and a re- Qatari people. Protocol at the US Department of tion and counter-terrorism issues. liable friend of the US. These ties For his part, HH the Amir State Mary-Kate Fisher, Deputy As- The visit marks a new mile- have developed significantly since stressed that the two countries have sistant Secretary of State for Gulf stone in the strategic ties the two the 1990s, especially in the fields strong strategic relations and will Affairs Tim Linder King, Ambas- countries enjoy, and will contrib- of economy, investment, defence work together to ease tension in sador of Qatar to the US HE Sheikh ute to establishing stability and and culture. The two countries the region, which has been going Meshal bin Hamad al Thani, and security regionally as well as on a have extensive economic ties and through difficult periods for several members of the Qatari Embassy global level. the Qatar-US Business Forum was years. He said if everyone works to- and Qatar’s Defence Attache Office The visit also coincides with held in Doha last October. gether, the region will see de-escala- in Washington. several regional and international In parallel with the visit of the tion of tensions. developments that require further Amir to the US last April, Qatar The Amir thanked Esper and consultation and coordination be- organised an economic roadshow said he’s looking forward to hosting ing them, particularly in the fields of tween the two sides. in several US cities that resulted in Qatar 2022 World Cup and also for defence, military and security. They Qatar-US ties stretch back all the signing of a number of MoUs the next tournament in 2026 to be also discussed regional and interna- the way to 1972, when diplomatic and trade agreements establishing hosted by the US. tional developments, especially the relations were first established fol- effective partnerships and joint in- The meeting discussed the stra- joint efforts of the two countries to lowing the independence of Qatar. vestments benefiting both sides. tegic cooperation between the two establish peace and stability in the Ties developed rapidly in the 90s, countries and the means of develop- region. in light of the strategic partner- Continued on page 16 Ô Pakistan offers PM reviews SJC digital immediate free Intra-Afghan peace talks visas to Qatari transformation plans passport holders a success, says Qahtani DOHA Pakistani authorities QNA have decided to grant im- TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK DOHA mediate entry visas (tourist/ DOHA visit) to all Qatari passport PRIME Minister and Minister holders, for one or several THE two-day Intra-Afghan of Interior HE Sheikh Abdul- trips and for a period of 30 peace talks in Doha, which lah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al days which is extendable for were co-hosted by Qatar and Thani on Monday directed the an additional 30 days, an of- Germany, ended on Monday concerned bodies in the state ficial source at the Consular with a pledge to reduce vio- to support the plans of the Su- Affairs Department at the lence in Afghanistan. preme Judiciary Council (SJC) Ministry of Foreign Affairs “We are very pleased for on digital transformation. has said. The requirements the success of the talks as a The PM urged joint efforts include a valid passport for first step for peace and we of the executive and judicial at least six months, a round thank them for their support authorities to achieve the de- trip ticket and cash equiva- for the ongoing talks in Qatar, sired justice to serve the in- lent of $1,500 or a valid which they consider important terests of all members of the credit card. (QNA) and positive in ending the con- society and meet the aspira- flict in Afghanistan,” HE Dr Members of the Afghan delegations during the second day of the tions and objectives of Qatar Mutlaq bin Majid al Qahtani, Intra-Afghan talks in Doha on Monday. (AFP) National Vision 2030. Minister of Foreign Affairs’ This came as the PM, ac- Prime Minister and Minister of Interior HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser Special Envoy for Counterter- The talks ended with a able peace in Afghanistan will companied by Minister of bin Khalifa al Thani at the SJC headquarters in Lusail City on Monday. rorism and Mediation in Con- joint statement pledging a be achieved only through com- Transport and Communications flict Resolution, said. “roadmap for peace” based on prehensive dialogue. and Chairman of the e-Govern- the efforts at adopting modern digital transformation plan. He expressed hope that the opening of a monitored The statement stressed the ment Steering Committee HE technology in judicial work to He reviewed the e-services this event would mark the be- peace process, return of in- importance of preventing Af- Jassim bin Saif al Sulaiti, paid a meet the vision of the state in developed within the frame- ginning of a meaningful pro- ternally displaced people, and ghanistan from entering into visit to the SJC headquarters in digital transformation as part work of the digital transfor- cess leading to a comprehen- non-interference by regional other wars. It held the Afghan Lusail City on Monday. of the e-Government Strategy. mation plan, which will help sive and sustainable peace in powers in Afghanistan. peace dialogue as important The PM reviewed the During the visit, SJC Presi- speed up completion of the UAE reducing Afghanistan. The joint statement in- and decisive for the different achievements made by the dent HE Dr Hassan bin Lah- tasks and achieve the desired troops in war-torn He expressed his thanks cluded several important sections of the society and SJC and its accomplishments dan al Hassan al Muhannadi justice. to all Afghan participants for points, most notably a consen- stressed the need for the inter- in the digital transformation gave a presentation on the Yemen (PG 7 ) their constructive spirit in the sus among the participants in national community to respect plan.