Adviser on Middle East affairs at the US Council on Foreign Relations John Rivenblad
Doha: The Adviser on Middle East affairs at the US Council on Foreign Relations John Rivenblad affirmed that the State of Qatar is gaining international respect based on its rapid positive interaction in many global crises and important gains consistent with its diplomatic approach to containing tensions and conflicts, supporting media efforts and active participation in complex international conflicts.
Rivenblad said, in statements to Al-Sharq newspaper published Tuesday, that the Qatari-US relations can be traced back to the increased confidence that coincided with US President Joe Biden's positive vision regarding restoring cooperation with important regional allies and activating the tools of positive cooperation with them, adding that Qatar has emerged in this regard with its important policy line and as a strong partner and historically ally of America, and more comprehensively in the Afghan file through the air bridge, supplies, assistance, consular services and other dozens of important files such as mediation, hosting talks in Doha, diplomatic coordination, and achieving strategic goals by acting as a direct agent through its embassy in Kabul for US consular services.
He pointed out that Qatar has growing international respect, an effective with UN institutions, and positive relations partnership with the European Union (EU), and it enjoys good relations with international powers from Beijing and Moscow to Washington, Berlin, London and Paris in various fields of economic and strategic cooperation.
Rivenblad noted the importance of the US consultation with Qatar on Qatar's natural gas supplies and ways to pump them into Europe if Russia, which has mobilized forces estimated at 100,000 soldiers to the northern and southern borders of Ukraine, especially since 40 percent of European gas needs are provided by Russia.
The Adviser on Middle East affairs at the US Council on Foreign Relations said that Qatar certainly benefits from the strength of the relationship it has developed with US President Joe Biden's administration officials by securing important and positive contracts in the huge European market, providing energy supplies, and developing direct tools that facilitate the shipment of supplies, adding that Qatar's huge production of liquefied natural gas and its expansion plans in the North Field make Qatar control its annual production capacity in a way that enables it to provide any required needs, as a matter of cooperation and partnership, and that the Qatari-US and European relations will develop with a new positive impulse, as a reliable partner and ally when needed.
He explained that Russia, alongside Qatar and Australia, is one of the largest producers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the world. However, Qatar is isolated from the Russian competition and contracts of Qatari companies with Korea, Japan, China and Asia are extended; Thus, Qatar pumps only 5 percent of the gas needs into European markets. On the other hand, European countries depend on about 40 percent of Russian gas for their gas needs, and if any military movement occurs between Russia and Ukraine, those contracts will certainly be affected by the American and European reactions towards Russia.
