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US and Qatar discuss supplying Qatari gas to Europe

April 12, 2014 at 2:46 pm

During a visit to Algeria, the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani and US Secretary of State John Kerry discussed how Qatar will take over gas delivery to Europe as an alternative to Russian gas, Rai Alyoum newspaper learned.


The paper’s sources said Russia is using its gas supply to pressure Ukraine and other European countries and has doubled the price of gas exports to Ukraine by rates reaching 100 per cent.

They also pointed out that Qatar’s offer to compensate for Russian gas to Europe may increase the tension in its relations with Russia.

There has been a lot of speculation that Qatar is supporting the Syrian opposition with money and weapons to overthrow the Syrian regime because the regime would not allow Doha to build a pipeline diagonally across Syria and into Turkey from where it could reach Europe.

The Qatari Emir left Algeria yesterday evening and headed towards Tunisia, where he will conclude his Arab tour, which began in Sudan on Wednesday.

Before leaving, Al-Thani met with Kerry at his residence in the Algerian capital city of Zeralda, as Kerry was also visiting Algeria.

During the meeting, the two discussed a number of regional and international issues, particularly the latest developments in the Middle East, according to the Qatar News Agency.

Al-Thani said the purpose of his visit to Algeria was to discuss Arab and regional issues as well as the challenges facing the nation.

The Qatari Emir held joint talks with the Algerian president during which the two parties addressed the bilateral relations and mutual issues of concern.

This is Al-Thani’s first visit to Sudan, Algeria and Tunisia since taking the reins last June.