By Mohammad Shoeb
DOHA: Turkey is looking at Qatar as a cornerstone of developing relations with other GCC states and both countries are working together to take bilateral relations to new heights, visiting Turkish Prime Minister Dr Ahmet Davutoglu said yesterday.
“We had a very fruitful meeting today with Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister and Interior Minister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani. Our relationships are at the strongest level but we are cooperating to advance them further to the next level in all aspects, including business, trade, investment, energy, agriculture, tourism, healthcare, culture diplomacy and defence,” he told a meeting organised by Qatari-Turkish Business Forum.
“There is great will on both sides to advance cooperation in all fields, including agriculture, LNG and defence among other common projects. We are building a strategic alliance and signing agreements for trade and defence cooperation.
“We trust each other like brothers and Turkey will never leave Qatar behind at any moment of time,” he said, adding Turkey and Qatar have common goals and objectives, so when both sides sit together “we work as one heart and one mind”.
Qatar and Turkey are working on ways to further strengthen relations to register a multi-fold increase in the two-way trade volume from the current $1.3bn to up to $5bn, he added.
Dr Davutoglu stressed that business communities from both sides need to work hard to improve the trade volume in all sectors of both thriving economies which are complementary in nature. He thanked Qatari government and people for investment and cooperation and said Turkey would like to see more investments for mutual benefits.
“We want to promote trade exchange in the coming years. We discussed impediments and obstacles faced by the business communities and ensure that things will be for better.”
Dr Davutoglu said both countries are also working to promote tourism and health tourism and will soon establish a hospital in Qatar. Turkey is one of the most favourite destinations for Qataris, and last year some 36,000 people visited the European nation, he added.
Present at the business luncheon were the Premier, the Turkish Premier’s delegation, guests, ministers, diplomats, members of Qatari Businessmen’s Association (QBA), including Sheikh Faisal bin Qassim Al Thani, Chairman, QBA; Hussain Ibrahim Alfardan, First Deputy to the QBA Chairman and Chairman, Alfardan Group; Sheikh Dr Khalid bin Thani Al Thani, Second Deputy to the QBA Chairman and Chairman, Ezdan Holding Group; Sherida Al Kaabi, QBA Board Member; Sultan Rashed Al Khater, Undersecretary at the Ministry of Economy and Commerce; Salem bin Mubarak Al Shafi, Qatari Ambassador to Turkey, and other officials.
Sheikh Faisal told the meeting: “We put great importance on economic relations between the two countries. Scores of Turkish companies are active in Qatar, especially in the construction sector. Some 119 companies have bagged QR15bn projects.”
The Peninsula
