Qatar considers energy investment in Turkey
Posted by meb at February 7th, 2008
Qatar, the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, is considering building facilities in Turkey to sell natural gas to European markets, President Abdullah Gül said yesterday.
On an official visit to Qatar, Gül held a news conference in Doha yesterday to inform the press about his meetings. He said he was pleased with his visit, adding that it has been a fruitful one. The president noted that they also exchanged views on energy, housing and the defense industry.
“Qatari officials told us that they can send liquefied gas to Turkey, which will then be sent to Europe. They will build the facilities necessary to transform liquefied gas into regular gas in Turkey. The main area of investment will be in the energy sector; yet, we are considering medium and long-term pipeline projects,” added Gül.
Gül answered questions directed by reporters during the press conference. Asked about planned cooperation in the Turkish defense industry, Gül said: “The security of both the Gulf states and the Persian Gulf is of great significance for the stability of the region. Thus, Turkey follows this issue closely. Turkey is a stable country and is the guarantee of stability both in its own region and the world. Thus, Turkey pays attention to the security of the Gulf states,” he said.
Underlining that Turkey and the Turkish economy are closely followed by foreign countries, Gül said Turkey is considered a country that is good for investment. “The fact that Turkey has taken direct steps toward full membership in the European Union and has entered into competition with other countries thanks to the customs union has turned our country into an attractive place for investment,” he noted.
Upon a question of whether the relations between Turkey and Arab countries, which went through hard times in the past, have normalized in the last few years, Gül said: “We used to have some difficulties in certain domains. Even the Arab Union used to make some decisions against Turkey’s interests. At present, we have satisfactory relations with Arab countries. Qatar has extended its full support to Turkey’s Expo 2015 bid.”
source: Today’s Zaman
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