Русский
Russia and Qatar have agreed to step up trade and economic cooperation, including in the energy sector, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has stated, saying that “We have agreed to intensify work in all areas, primarily in the trade and economic sector, in the energy sector, within the framework of such organizations as the Gas Exporting Countries Forum headquartered in Doha, and along other tracks of our economic cooperation, including interactions between the Qatar Investment Authority and the Russian Direct Investment Fund.”
Lavrov was speaking in Doha during his visit to Qatar on Thursday (February 26), where he met with the Qatari Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.
Lavrov said that “Projects valued at nearly US$1 billion are currently being implemented through cooperation between the Qatar Investment Authority and the Russian Direct Investment Fund, and projects worth more are under consideration. Some of these agreements might well be focused also on new forms of energy cooperation.”
It should be noted that Qatar is a major shareholder of Rosneft, and Doha serves as the headquarters of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum, an association of the world’s leading natural gas exporting countries established with Russia’s organisational support as a counterbalance to the Energy Charter Treaty.
A meeting of the Joint Russian-Qatari Commission on Trade, Economic and Technical Cooperation is being scheduled in Doha next month.
Lavrov held a media conference after his meetings with the Emir during which he discussed questions relating to Syria, Palestine, Ukraine, Russia’s frozen assets, the Trump-Macron meetings in Washington, and the recent German elections. Those comments can be read here.
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