Turkish president to visit Qatar tomorrow

Doha: Turkish President Abdullah Gul will pay a three-day official visit to Qatar from Tuesday, the diplomatic mission here announced.

Gul will be accompanied by the Turkish ministers of finance, energy and public works and a delegation of 150 businessmen on a visit that will also mark the inauguration of the Turkish-Qatari Business Council on February 6.

The Turkish president will meet here with the Emir of Qatar, Shaikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, the prime minister and other senior Qatari officials to discuss the development of bilateral trade and economic relations and cooperation in the energy sector.

Talks will also touch on the Middle East peace process, tensions in Palestine, Lebanon, the situation in Iraq and Iran's nuclear issue.

The last visit of a Turkish head of state to Qatar took place seven years ago. But Gul and the Emir met last month in Syria to mark Damascus' role as the cultural capital of Arab League member countries.

Speaking to local and international media ahead of the visit, Turkish ambassador to Qatar Mithat Rende said the visit comes at a time when Turkey, which relies heavily on Russia and Iran for its gas supplies, is planning to diversify its sources.

Ankara is looking to sign a framework agreement with Qatar in the energy sector whereby Turkey would start buying liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Gulf country as of 2010.

Some 25 Turkish construction companies have already undertaken projects worth $5 billion (Dh18.35 billion) here over the past five years.