US President had dialogue with Qatar emir on Syria crisis

United States President Barack Obama met with Qatari emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani at the White House Tuesday amid a flurry of meetings with regional leaders on Syria’s increasingly bloody stalemate.

“Obviously we’ve been cooperating closely with Qatar and other countries in seeking to bring about an end to the slaughter that’s taking place there (and) the removal of president (Bashar Assad),” Obama said.

Obama said they also hope to “strengthen an opposition that can bring about a democratic Syria that represents all people and respects their rights regardless of their ethnicity or their religious affiliation.”