Qatar-Egypt talks ‘positive,successful’

HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani and Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Hisham Kandil chairing the official talks between Qatar and Egypt in Doha yesterday.

QNA/Doha

HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani and Egyptian Prime Minister Dr Hisham Kandil said the talks between the two sides held in Doha yesterday were “positive and successful” and covered a host of issues, especially economic and investment fields.

Addressing a joint press conference here yesterday, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani and Kandil underlined the importance of relations between Qatar and Egypt stressing the need to enhance them further.

The Premier and Foreign Minister announced that the Qatari government would add to its Egyptian counterpart bonds the value of $3bn, noting that in the coming days the parties concerned in the two countries would work out the details.

The Prime Minister made it clear that HH the Heir Apparent had stressed during a meeting here yesterday with Egyptian prime minister the importance of Qatar-Egypt relations saying that they should continue in the current pace.

HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister pointed out that his talks with Egyptian Premier dealt with mutual affairs and covered the bulk of relations between the two countries especially in the investment field, affirming that the talks were highly positive and practical.

He said that the talks also dealt in detail with possible areas of co-operation “running in two-dimension on condition it secures the rights of each party including Qatar’s contribution in all projects including the industrial ventures which the Egyptian government offers in this regard”.     

The talks also dealt with assisting the Egyptian side in gas especially in the summer season.

The Prime Minister and Foreign Minister told reporters that his talks with Kandil also dealt with joint ventures which already exist in Sharm El-Sheikh or Hurghada. “The talks also covered how best to promote and develop these areas in a way that benefit the two sides”, the Prime Minister said.

Responding to some media reports about Qatari-Egyptian relations, the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said that some media organs interpret everything positive as negative and underlined that such a matter would not affect Qatar’s position in dealing with Egypt and the Egyptian people.

The Premier added, “Our position in this regard is clear, namely we would continue backing Egypt and stand beside the brethren”.

On whether Qatar’s support to and co-operation with Egypt has something in return, the Prime Minister said, “In fact, we did not ask the Egyptian government for something in return for the Qatari support .... the Qatari support is offered on our part to the Egyptian people  in terms of a fraternal and nationalist dimension and has not sough anything in return directly or indirectly and there is nothing under or above the table.... This is the principle of HH the Emir and the Heir Apparent.”

Asked about the Qatari-Egyptian joint business council, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor al-Thani said the two countries support such a council noting that it is important that the council presents creative concepts to upgrade and further develop the work environment between Qatar and Egypt.

For his part, Egyptian premier said that among the topics discussed were the Qatari investments in Egypt and how to revive and consolidate them further. He pointed out that the Qatari investment in Egypt is not as rumoured ...it came in the 18th or 20th position among the foreign investors in Egypt ...”So we want to push the Qatari investments to better level in all the sectors - industrial, tourist, energy and oil sectors”, the Egyptian premier said.