PARIS - French President Emmanuel Macron and Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani praised the "quality" of relations between France and the Gulf nation in a statement on Thursday, amid a strengthening of business ties between the two countries.

A day after Macron hosted al-Thani in Paris for dinner, the two leaders agreed to "intensify" bilateral ties in the fields of business, defence and security, the Elysee palace said in a statement.

(Reporting by Michel Rose; Editing by Alison Williams)