BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Xavi named fi rst global ambassador of 2022 Woqod plans to invest QR634mn in 2018 World Cup published in QATAR since 1978 MONDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 10769 March 26, 2018 Rajab 9, 1439 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals No move to leave Udeid In brief airbase: US wo leading US defence entities have refuted the reports that the QATAR | Offi cial TAmericans are planning to leave Emir congratulates the Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar. The unfounded story also said the Greek president US is leaving the Incirlik Air Base in His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim Turkey. bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness The US Central Command (Cent- the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah com) yesterday denied reports it was bin Hamad al-Thani sent yesterday leaving the Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar, cables of congratulations to Greek saying that such reports are false and President Prokopis Pavlopoulos without merit. on the anniversary of his country’s “The US is not leaving Incirlik Air Independence Day. HE the Prime Base in Turkey, nor is the US leav- Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh ing Al-Udeid airbase in Qatar. These Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al- His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani arrived yesterday in Moscow for a working visit to Russia. The Emir and his accompanying delegation were reports are false and without merit,” Thani sent a similar cable to Greek received upon their arrival at Vnukovo International Airport by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister and special envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin on Middle-East Mikhail Centcom posted on its offi cial Twitter Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras. Bogdanov, a number of ranking Russian off icials, Qatar’s ambassador to Russia Fahad bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, Russia’s ambassador to Qatar Nurmakhamad Kholov and page. members of the Qatari embassy in Moscow. Further rebutting the fake news, US Air Force Central Command said: “There is zero credibility to news re- ports asserting the US is leaving Incir- lik and Al Udeid air bases in Turkey and Qatar. These unhelpful reports feed mistrust and division among regional Russia-Qatar ties on fast track partners at a time when we need to work together to address shared secu- QNA and now both parties are keen to elevate ministries. The Joint Intergovernmental response to an invitation from his Rus- rity concerns.” Doha their partnership to higher levels. Commission on Trade, Economic, Sci- sian counterpart. Qatar participated in The Emir arrived in Moscow yester- entifi c and Technical Co-operation is military-technical exhibition ‘Army’, day on a two-day visit. also making good progress. which took place in October 2017. Rus- ussian ambassador to Qatar Nur- The ambassador said there is close in- The ambassador said the Emir’s ear- sian Defence Minister Sergei Shoygu Saudi intercepts makhamad Kholov confi rmed teraction between the organising com- lier visit to Russia and his meeting with also paid an offi cial visit to Qatar, during missile over Riyadh Ryesterday that his country is a mittees of Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022 President Vladimir Putin, gave a strong which an agreement on military-tech- trusted partner of Qatar, both in terms World Cups. push to bilateral relations and opened nical cooperation was signed.” The Saudi air force intercepted a of bilateral and international co-op- “We are pleased with the fruitful the way for regular communication be- The envoy said the year 2018, celebrat- missile over the northeastern part of eration. He said bilateral relations are co-operation with our Qatari partners tween HE the Deputy Prime Minister ed as the Year of Culture between Russia the capital Riyadh last night, Saudi witnessing a signifi cant and increasing through national football unions, shar- and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed and Qatar, will not only provide an oppor- state television said. Reuters reporters growth in the political, economic, trade ing our experience in ensuring the safety bin Abdulrahman al-Thani and Russian tunity to intensify people-to-people co- in the capital said they heard several and scientifi c fi elds. of sport events, as well as in the training Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. operation but will also help increase the loud booms shortly before midnight. Commenting on the visit of His of athletes and the development of sport Kholov highlighted that both coun- fl ow of tourists, strengthening economic The apparent Houthi rebel attack Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin medicine,” the ambassador said. tries have increased visits. “HE the ties, and opening new opportunities for coincides with the third anniversary of Hamad al-Thani to Russia, he told Qatar He said there is constant communi- Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of co-operation. He praised Qatar’s experi- the Saudi-led coalition’s intervention News Agency (QNA) that bilateral co- cation between the leaders of the two State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin ence in organising the “years of culture” in Yemen. There were no immediate operation has improved dramatically countries and the foreign and defence Mohamed al-Attiyah visited Russia, in which adds to the success of this event. reports of any casualties. Gulf Times 2 Monday, March 26, 2018 QATAR Qatar-UK strategic dialogue Qatar and the United Kingdom met yesterday for the fourth Qatar-UK strategic dialogue (Sharaka). The Qatari side was chaired by HE the Minister of State for Foreign Aff airs Sultan bin Saad al-Muraikhi and the UK side was chaired by UK Minister of State for the Middle East Alistair Burt. Sharaka is one of the most important mechanisms for the development of bilateral relations between Qatar and the UK. It is responsible for follow-up of decisions, files and projects, supporting the bilateral track and exploring opportunities for co-operation for the benefit of both countries. Qatar participates in global counterterror forum in Japan QNA en international co-oper- ongoing confl icts in Yemen, In this context, Qatar re- Tokyo ation in the area of coun- Somalia, Libya, Syria, Iraq ferred to the persistence of ter-terrorism and ways to and Afghanistan. the evil axes in the region operationalise the forum’s Qatar further stressed that in distorting religious prin- atar participated in initiatives. the real war on terror is not ciples in their favour and the 13th meeting of Qatar stressed its support the defeat of ISIS in Iraq and poisoning the minds of the Qthe Co-ordinating for these initiatives, stress- Syria militarily, it is to estab- desperate, stressing that the Committee of the Global ing the importance of con- lish social norms to ensure policy of “adventure” must Counterterrorism Forum structive co-operation with- peaceful coexistence, de- be put to an end “and politi- (GCTF), held in the Japanese out politicising the eff orts. mocracy, equal opportuni- cal manoeuvres by the new capital, Tokyo. During the meeting, Qa- ties and political integration. adventurers in the region. Qatari Foreign Minister’s tar presented its point of Qatar considers that suf- Qatar referred to the im- Special Envoy on Counter- view in the fi ght against fering and injustice paves portant role played by non- terrorism and Mediation in terrorism and extremism the way for terrorism to governmental institutions Disputes’ settlements am- from a regional perspec- fl ourish, in addition to the in operationalising the ob- bassador Dr Mutlaq bin Ma- tive, stating that most of the extremist religious doc- jectives and initiatives of the jed al-Qahtani headed the root causes of the confl icts trines that posed a threat forum, warning the exploi- country’s delegation during related to terrorism and ex- to all, it is a sign that these tation of these institutions the meeting. tremism in the Middle East extremist ideologies exist in by some States of the region Participating delegations belonged to sectarian diff er- all cultures and are not ex- (as a centre of guidance) for discussed ways to strength- ences, regional rivalry and clusive to Islam. political purposes. Gulf Times 4 Monday, March 26, 2018 QATAR OFFICIAL Emir appoints head of ACTA His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday issued Emiri decision No 12 for 2018 appointing HE Hamad bin Nasser bin Rashid al-Misned al-Mohannadi as Chairman of the Administrative Control and Transparency Authority (ACTA). The decision is eff ective starting from its date of issue and shall be published in the off icial gazette. NHRC chief meets Italian envoy Chairman of the National Human Rights Committee (NHRC) Dr Ali bin Smaikh al-Marri met the Italian ambassador to Qatar Pasquale Salzano in Doha yesterday. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways of co- operation and the exchange of experiences on rights issues. Qatar-UK anti-terror steps discussed HE the Attorney-General Dr Ali bin Fetais al-Marri met the UK Minister of State for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair HE the Minister of Public Health Dr Hanan Burt in Doha yesterday. They discussed a number of topics of A view of the participants. Mohamed al-Kuwari speaking at the event. common interest as well as international action in the field of combating terrorism and its financing. Both parties agreed to maintain high-level bilateral co-operation in the legal and judicial fields. Healthcare sector witnessing unparalleled growth: minister zRegion’s largest healthcare able year for healthcare in Qatar, never been a more exciting time Saidi, Qatar’s National Health exploring how care providers can quality and safety noting that the current rate of for healthcare in Qatar,” said HE Strategy 2018-2022 was offi cially use innovative ideas to improve conference concludes growth in services, facilities, and Dr al-Kuwari.