2 november 2010

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin meets with Emir of Qatar Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani

Participants:
The Russian Prime Minister declared his readiness to support Qatar’s initiative to host a summit of gas producers.

Transcript of the beginning of the meeting:

Vladimir Putin: Your Highness, friends. Allow me to welcome you to Moscow. I am very glad to see you, Your Highness. I remember our meetings in Moscow and in Doha, and I recall how warmly you received us.

Relations between our countries are developing successfully. Unfortunately, trade between us is not very large, but we have good prospects for cooperation in some sensitive areas. And first of all, I would like to say that we are ready to support your initiative to host a summit of gas producers in Qatar within the framework of the organisation that we established. We are in contact with your government. I know that our partners in Qatar have shown interest in cooperating both with third party countries and Russia. And we are also ready for this.

We are glad to see you, and all of your delegation. Welcome.

Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani (as translated): Thank you, Mr Prime Minister, for your kind words. I am very glad to hear that you remember the visit you made several years ago. You mentioned that trade between our countries is not large. We will discuss how to increase it and how to develop cooperation in other areas.

I would also like to say that we are glad to discuss bilateral relations and, as you said, cooperation in sensitive areas. We will also be glad to host a summit in our country of the GECF (Gas Exporting Countries Forum) next November.

We strive to develop bilateral relations with Russia, just as with other countries. The purpose of my visit today is to discuss promising new areas of cooperation with the Russian Federation.