Qatar and Cuba talked about energy cooperation and world politics during the visit Thursday of Sheik Abdullah Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah that served to broaden the ties between the two countries.

"We´ve come to keep expanding and strengthening the relations that our Emir and President Fidel Castro had forged and to help each other in ways that we agree upon," the second vice President of the Council of Ministers of Qatar told plenglish.com.

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani opened the path for improved relations with Cuba when he visited Havana in 2000. President Fidel Castro paid back the visit to the Gulf state in 2002.

 Since then, bilateral links have been building up. The two countries set up embassies on each nation and have discussed cooperation on varied fields, the Qatari ambassador Ali Saad Al-Kharji said.

 On the first item of his working agenda, Sheik Hamad Al-Attiyah, who is also Qatar´s minister of energy and industry, visited the headquarters of the Cuban oil enterprise Cuba Petroleo Union (CUPET) in Old Havana.

 There he was briefed over several of the Island´s projects on this field. Present in the meeting were Cuba´s Industry Minister Yadira Garcia and CUPET General Director Fidel Rivero Prieto.

 The two sides exchanged information and ideas and the high-ranking guest took the chance to offer Cuba Qatar´s technical assistance on this field in which it has vast experience.

 Qatar is one of the key members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and also participates in the Gas Producing and Exporting Forum, a group of 15 natural gas-producing nations.

 In his last official meeting in Havana, the Qatari Sheik discussed international issues with Abelardo Moreno, Cuba´s Deputy Foreign Minister, in particular they talked about the forthcoming 2nd South Summit, slated to take place in Doha next June. The first gathering was held in Cuba in 2000.

 "Cuba is helping to coordinate and prepare this meeting so it comes to a successful ending. We have the experience of being the host nation for the 1st Summit," Moreno pointed out.

 The gathering which will be attended by many Heads of Government and State is sponsored by the so-called Group of 77 and China that has today over 150 nations affiliated to it.

 "Cuba will be participating in the South Summit with a high-ranking delegation, so we exchanged views about which the aspirations of Qatar and Cuba are for this important meeting," the host deputy foreign minister said.

 The Qatari energy and industry minister´s visit has coincided with the presence in Havana of Venezuela´s President Hugo Chavez, whose country is also one of OPEC´s key members and the world´s fourth largest oil producer. It also a relevant member of the Group of 77 and China.

 Sheik Hamad Al-Attiyah and his entourage had other protocol meetings on Thursday and on Friday they will tour Varadero Beach, Cuba´s most developed sand and sun tourist destination, before flying back to Qatar.

Ahora 02-05-2005