Home | 7 Business | 21 Sport | 31 Five new hospitals Qatargas cuts Qatar beat Oman next year to expand greenhouse gas to reach GCC T20 healthcare facilities emissions to 25.6pc Women’s final The Peninsula Newspaper @PeninsulaQatar @peninsula_qatar THURSDAY 3 DECEMBER 2015 • 21 Safar 1437 • Volume 20 Number 6633 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Emir greets Qatar, Turkey sign several agreements UAE President DOHA: Emir H H Sheikh Tamim Emir, Erdogan preside over first meeting of Qatar-Turkish Supreme Strategic Committee bin Hamad Al Thani yesterday sent a cable of congratulations DOHA: Qatar and Turkey yes- A cooperation protocol was to President of the United Arab terday signed several agree- concluded in the field of archives Emirates H H Sheikh Khalifa bin ments in the presence of Emir between the two countries. Zayed Al Nahyan on the occasion H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad An MoU was inked between of his country’s National Day. Al Thani and the visiting Turkish Qatar Development Bank (QDB) President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. and the Turkey Export Import Both the leaders presided over Bank, another MoU was inked Qatar presents the first meeting of Qatar-Turk- between the QDB and the Devel- ish Supreme Strategic Commit- opment Bank of Turkey and yet promotions at tee at the Emiri Diwan, reported another one between the QDB and Qatar News Agency (QNA). Turkish Bank Eksi to exchange COP21 in Paris The meeting was also attended businesses. The most important by Deputy Emir H H Sheikh agreement was concerning small DOHA: The delegation of Qatar Abdullah bin Hamad Al Thani, and medium-sized projects. participating in the 21st session of Prime Minister and Interior Min- In addition, Qatar Petroleum the Conference of the Parties to ister H E Sheikh Abdullah bin (QP) and Turkish Botas inked a the United Nations Framework Nasser bin Khalifa Al Thani and deal in the natural gas sector. A Convention on Climate Change a number of ministers. cooperation protocol was signed (COP21) in Paris is offering a Members of the large delega- in the field of press and informa- number of promotions highlight- tion which is accompanying the tion and a draft protocol of coop- ing Qatar’s efforts to reduce the Turkish President were also eration was concluded between impacts of climate change. present. After the meeting, 15 Qatar Foundation for Education, These promotional displays agreements were signed between Science and Community Develop- are part of the exhibition on the Qatar and Turkey, including one ment (QF) and the Scientific and sidelines of the conference and on a protocol on cooperation in Research Council of Turkey. deal with climate change miti- the field of training and education Erdogan also announced that gation and adaptation policies between the interior ministries of visa-free travel will be allowed and include many initiatives and the two countries. between Qatar and Turkey. projects undertaken by the Min- Another on cooperation Before the Committee’s meet- istry of Environment and other between the Lekhwiya (Internal ing, the Emir and Erdogan met in relevant bodies in the state in Security Force) and the Turk- the presence of the Deputy Emir contribution to the achievement ish Gendarmerie General Com- and they discussed relations and of Qatar National Vision 2030 and mand was signed. Yet another cooperation between their two the sustainable development. agreement was inked in the field countries and means of further The Qatari delegation includes of public financial management developing them in different fields. several government bodies such development, and a memorandum Earlier, Erdogan arrived at as the ministries of Environment, of understanding (MoU) was con- the Emiri Diwan where he was Foreign Affairs, Municipal and cluded in the field of education, accorded warm and official wel- Urban Planning, Transport and and another MoU for cooperation come. The Emir welcomed Erdogan Economy and Trade, in addition to in the field of environment. to Qatar which he described as Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the Emiri Diwan yesterday. the Qatar General Electricity and Besides, a maritime transport his second home and expressed Water Corporation, the General agreement was signed and an his pleasure over his visit for the Committee will lead to a quantum confidence that the Strategic and growth in all fields. Civil Aviation Authority, Qatar MoU was inked on mutual rec- maiden meeting of the joint Strate- leap in the relations between the Committee’s meeting would come Continued on page 4 Petroleum and Qatar University. ognition of national certificate of gic Committee of the two countries. two brotherly countries. out with fruitful results, contrib- those working at sea. He said the establishment of the The Emir also expressed the uting to realizing further progress THE PENINSULA QNA Three killed, up to 20 wounded in Amnesty statement on labour conditions unfounded: Qatar California shooting DOHA: Qatar has severely criti- five years. The Government of bers of guest workers to meet most recent statement, “we feel to work during midday hours dur- cised Amnesty International for Qatar feels that Amnesty’s state- the demands of rapid growth and that the accusation that Qatar ing the summer months; increase LOS ANGELES: Three people its recent statement on labour ment does not accurately reflect development. has failed to improve the human the minimum accommodation were killed and as many 20 were conditions in the country and the progress “we have made in The Government of Qatar rights of its guest workers is sim- space per worker by 50 percent; wounded yesterday when at least said the statement is not based reforming our labour system,” wishes to reaffirm its apprecia- ply untrue”. and improve health and safety one person opened fire at a social on facts. said the Qatari government. tion for the contributions made by Significant reforms have been requirements for all workers in services agency in the Southern The Government Communica- Further, the government feels the millions of workers who have made and more are in the pipe- Qatar. California city of San Bernardino, tions Office of Qatar has issued that Amnesty’s reporting lacks come to Qatar in recent years to line. The Wage Protection Sys- Qatar has also put in place authorities and a witness said. a clarification in this regard, context, as it does not benchmark help “us build our nation’s infra- tem (WPS) to ensure workers are stronger regulations to safeguard MSNBC reported that law reported Qatar News Agency labour conditions in Qatar against structure and we are committed paid in full and on time is in place workers’ welfare, and has improved enforcement authorities con- (QNA). labour conditions in other coun- to respecting both their labour and is being enforced. access to justice for those suffer- firmed the three deaths, and It has listed a number of steps tries facing similar challenges. rights and their human rights”. All employees of private com- ing unfair treatment; an electronic a reporter for the local NBC that have been taken to reform Qatar fully intends to meet the “Qatar is committed to protect- panies in Qatar must now receive complaint system now operates affiliate said he saw three bod- the labour market and protect the highest standards with regard to ing the workers who are helping their wages electronically via in 10 different languages, includ- ies following the shooting ram- rights of foreign workers. labour but for reasons that are us build our nation. Indeed, this bank transfer within seven days. ing, English, Arabic, Urdu, Hindi, page. The San Bernardino Fire Amnesty International has unclear, Amnesty International is why we welcome feedback and Qatar has introduced and Tamil, Bengali and Nepali. Department said in a tweet that released a statement summa- has provided no comparative data constructive criticism from NGO enforced new laws that make it Continued on page 6 it was responding to reports of 20 rising their reporting on labour on labour conditions in other partners.” illegal for companies to withhold victims. San Bernardino is some conditions in Qatar over the past countries employing large num- But with regard to Amnesty’s workers’ passports; make it illegal THE PENINSULA 100km east of Los Angeles. A police spokeswoman told the Los Angeles Times that the sus- pects were heavily armed and Palestinian home demolished possibly wearing body armor, and CBS reported that a bomb squad Cabinet reviews rainfall damage, was on the scene, trying to defuse what was believed to be an explo- sive device. REUTERS approves draft budget for 2016 Cameron plea to back DOHA: The Cabinet yesterday the rain were not accurate and project-executing companies in reviewed a report prepared by included a lot of unfounded exag- cases of damage caused by rain to bombing of IS in Syria the authorities concerned about geration and rumours, reported investigation. the rainfall of last week and the Qatar News Agency (QNA). Reviewing topics on the agenda, LONDON: Prime Minister David limited damage it caused and The Cabinet hailed the swift the Cabinet endorsed the draft Cameron urged lawmakers to measures taken to address defi- action of relevant state bodies to state general budget for the finan- approve bombing raids against ciencies, if any. address the consequences of rain, cial year 2016, a draft law on rati- Islamic State in Syria, saying Brit- The Cabinet also approved reduce the damage and restore the fying the budget, and to refer to ain should join a US-led campaign draft budget for the financial situation back to normal in a short the Advisory Council all the main to destroy militants he said were year 2016 and referred it to the time.