DOHA: A delegation of the European Parliament has called for deepening strategic ties between EU and Qatar.
The parliament’s standing delegation for relations with the Arab Peninsula is on a two-day visit to Doha.
As a key supplier of LNG to Europe, Qatar is a vital partner for European energy security, the delegation said, welcoming Qatar’s commitment to support EU in its efforts to diversify sources of its energy supply.
Given the extent of trade relations with Qatar, the delegation hoped the country can promote a region-to-region free trade agreement.
“EU–GCC relations have developed positively in the past few years, although negotiations on a free trade agreement – which would expand trade significantly – have been at a deadlock since 2005,” Angelika Niebler, head of the delegation, told a press conference yesterday.
“The delegation calls for deepening strategic ties between EU and Qatar,” she adding.
The team held separate meetings with the Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Speaker of Shura Council H E Muhammad bin Mubarak Al Khulaifi and the Minister of Culture, Arts and Heritage H E Dr Hamad bin Abdulaziz Al Kuwari and discussed issues of mutual interest.
The also met senior government officials and representatives of Hamad Bin Khalifa University, Qatar Investment Authority and Qatar Gas.
The delegation noted that there was possibility of expanding cooperation in areas such as research, education, technology and culture. The main challenge in the fields is to combine modernity and tradition and empower women in Qatari society, it said.
“A strengthened EU-Qatari partnership in all these fields would contribute to achieving Qatar’s goal of developing a knowledge-based society and economy. The delegation encourages Qatari efforts to diversify the country’s economy,” Niebler said.
The delegation also discussed political and security situation in the region, in particular the Syrian civil war, the volatile situation in Egypt, the Middle East peace process, GCC relations and latest developments in Iran.
It also praised Qatar’s efforts to mediate in international conflicts and encouraged all GCC countries to resolve their differences through dialogue, according to Niebler.
The Peninsula
