Qatar Urges FIFA Talks on 48-Team World
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BUSINESSBUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Knockout berth at stake as Al Rayyan Lift ing of North Field clash with moratorium to help boost Qatar growth Al Ain published in QATAR since 1978 SUNDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10789 April 15, 2018 Rajab 29, 1439 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Moroccan princess arrives Qatar urges FIFA talks In brief on 48-team World Cup Qatar,” said a spokesperson for Qatar’s ter handed to Gianni Infantino. QATAR | Diplomacy AFP Doha Supreme Committee for Delivery & The FIFA president has called the Emir returns home Legacy in a statement. proposal a “very interesting idea” and “Regardless of the outcome - we promised to look into it. aft er ending US visit atar World Cup organisers have are confi dent in our ability to deliver a The Qatar tournament will be His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim told FIFA it was “important” successful World Cup in 2022.” played over 28 days to accommodate bin Hamad al-Thani returned to Qto hold talks before any fi nal Qatar was responding to a re- the switch to playing the tournament Doha yesterday from the United decision was taken to expand the 2022 quest by the South American Foot- in November and December. By con- States after concluding a one-week tournament to 48 teams. ball Confederation (CONMEBOL), trast, the World Cup in Russia this year visit during which he met President In the fi rst response by the Gulf na- which on April 12 at its congress will be played over 32 days. Donald Trump, off icials and business tion since the shock news that FIFA is formally asked FIFA to introduce Qatar, which is spending billions on executives, and discussed a range looking at bringing forward its plan the plan to expand team numbers in the fi rst World Cup to be staged in the of issues of joint interest that will to increase the number of World Cup time for Qatar. Middle East, is currently only planning contribute to enhancing strategic teams by four years, Qatar also said it Football’s governing body had al- to use eight venues in 2022. Russia will relations between the two countries. was confi dent it could still deliver a ready agreed to enlarge the tournament use 12. “successful” tournament, regardless from the current 32 teams - which is If indeed the 48-team World Cup is QATAR | Statistics of the fi nal decision. how many are currently scheduled to okayed for Qatar, it will mean an ad- “Before any decision is taken it is play in Qatar - for the 2026 tourna- ditional 16 matches and will result in a 93,973 visitors used free important that discussions are held ment. longer tournament with the possibility visa facility in March on the operations and logistics of an CONMEBOL president Alejandro of some matches being held in neigh- A total of 93,973 visitors entered increase in size of the tournament in Dominguez made the request in a let- bouring countries. Qatar by using the visa-free facility in March, which marked a 30.3% increase from February when 72,110 people had availed of the facility, according to figures issued by the Ministry of Interior (MoI) yesterday. Qatar backs strikes against Syrian sites Page 6 QNA ternational community to protect the and the relevant Security Council reso- Doha Syrian people and to strip the regime lutions, meeting the legitimate aspira- of internationally prohibited weapons. tions of the brotherly Syrian people . Holding the Syrian regime fully A report from Riyadh adds: The Gulf atar has expressed its support responsible for the use of chemi- Co-operation Council (GCC) yester- for the US, British and French cal weapons against the civilians in day expressed its support for the joint Qmilitary operations against Douma, the statement called on the missile strike carried out by the United specifi c military targets used by the Security Council to shoulder its re- States, Britain and France against Syr- Syrian regime in launching attacks on sponsibilities to stop the crimes of the ian military installations in response to innocent civilians. regime and its use of internationally the use of chemical weapons in Douma The Foreign Ministry said in a state- prohibited weapons, and to bring the in Syria’s Eastern Ghouta. ment yesterday that the continued perpetrators of those crimes to inter- Earlier yesterday, the US, Britain and Princess Lalla Hasna, sister of King Mohamed VI of Morocco, arrived in Doha use by the Syrian regime of chemical national justice. France carried out a co-ordinated mili- yesterday to attend the off icial inauguration of Qatar National Library, slated for weapons against the civilians, and its The statement reiterated the support tary strike against specifi c targets in tomorrow. Princess Lalla Hasna was welcomed upon arrival by HE Sheikha Al disregard for the humanitarian and of Qatar for all international eff orts Syria in the wake of the chemical attack Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums Board of legal consequences of such crimes, aimed at reaching a political solution in the Eastern Ghouta city of Douma. Trustees. Page 24 requires immediate action by the in- based on the 2012 Geneva Statement Page 11 Gulf Times 2 Sunday, April 15, 2018 QATAR Minister visits exhibition in South Carolina HE the Minister of Economy and Commerce Sheikh Ahmed bin Jassim bin Mohamed al-Thani and other dignitaries at the exhibition. E the Minister of Econ- omy and Commerce HSheikh Ahmed bin Jas- sim bin Mohamed al-Thani yes- terday visited, in Charleston, South Carolina, the second edi- tion of the exhibition accom- panying the ongoing economic roadshow in the US. The minister, accompanied by Mohamed Barakat, executive di- rector of the US-Qatar Business Council, toured various sections of the exhibition, which was inaugurated yesterday. He was briefed on the vari- ous pavilions and entities taking part in the exhibition, including the Ministry of Economy and Commerce (MEC), Supreme Committee for Delivery & Leg- acy, Doha Film Institute and Qatar Foundation for Educa- tion, Science and Community Development, among others. In addition, some US com- panies that have key projects in Qatar are also taking part in HE Sheikh Ahmed during his tour of the exhibition. the event, Occidental Petro- leum, Boeing, ExxonMobil and Qatar and its heritage and cul- economic and investment part- of Qatar, particularly in terms ConocoPhillips. ture, in addition to introducing nership with the US, as it is a of major development projects The minister stressed that the the country’s capabilities and part of the economic roadshow to achieve Qatar National Vi- event plays an important role in economic competitiveness in the visiting four US cities in its fi rst sion 2030 and projects related to enhancing communication with region, besides promoting Qa- phase - Miami, Washington, DC, Qatar’s hosting of the 2022 FIFA the local communities in the tar as a safe and reliable invest- Charleston and Raleigh,” he said World Cup. American cities covered by the ment destination, according to a on the sidelines of the event. The fi rst edition of the exhi- roadshow. statement by the MEC. The exhibition aims to high- bition was organised at Miami, He explained that the exhibi- “This exhibition embodies light Qatari culture and herit- Florida, while the third will be tion sheds light on the history of Qatar’s keenness to establish age and the economic strength held in Raleigh, North Carolina. Various aspects of Qatari heritage and culture are highlighted at the event. Bani Hajer interchange opened ‘Siege has had no eff ect on Ashghal projects’ By Ramesh Mathew lanes in each direction for a dis- Staff Reporter tance of 2.4km between Gharra- senior Public Works Au- fat Al Rayyan interchange and Al thority (Ashghal) has Wajbah Bridge, covering a total A expressed satisfaction at he Public Works Author- of 5.5km on Khalifa Avenue fol- the pace of implementation of ity (Ashghal) has opened lowing the opening of 3.1km of vital segments of Expressway TBani Hajer interchange, the carriageway from west of the projects despite the ongoing which will provide free-fl owing Tilted Interchange and Ghar- siege of the country. traffi c between Doha, Dukhan, rafat Al Rayyan interchange in Speaking to the media yester- Bani Hajer and Al Rayyan. December last year. day, Ashghal Expressway depart- The interchange is part of the Ashghal has said the opening ment manager Youssef al-Emadi Yousef al-Emadi, manager, nearly QR7bn Khalifa Avenue of these vital sections “remark- reiterated that the blockade has Expressway department, Ashghal. project. ably enhances” traffi c move- had no eff ect on the progress of The feeder was inaugurated by ment, especially between Doha infrastructure projects imple- Brigadier Mohamed Mari- Ashghal’s Expressway Depart- and Dukhan. mented by the authority. fi ya, the Ministry of Interior’s ment manager Youssef al-Emadi Also, the construction of a “Ashghal has been working Traffi c Engineering and Safety and the Ministry of Interior’s 1.3km fl yover and underpass was hard for the last several months Department manager, said the Traffi c Engineering and Safety accomplished to connect traf- to maintain the pace of works new interchange would enhance Department manager Brigadier fi c heading from Al Rayyan Road Senior off icials, along with workers involved in the project, at the opening of the Bani Hajer Interchange yesterday. and ensured the supply of ad- traffi c in the area, providing free Mohamed Marifi ya in the pres- towards Dukhan Road. equate quantities of alternative movement leading to and from ence of a number of Ashghal staff Two right ramps, one for re- The authority, meanwhile, local materials for the smooth Doha, Dukhan, Bani Hajer and members, project engineers and ceiving commuters from Doha stressed that the opening of a construction of projects.