BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Commercial Confi dent Bank net Gharafa profi t jumps take on INDEX 20.4% to DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-6, 20 COMMENT 18, 19 QR604mn Pakhtakor REGION 7 BUSINESS 1-8, 13-16 26,439.48 9,450.07 65.42 ARAB WORLD 7 CLASSIFIED 9-13 in 2017 -177.23 +38.54 -0.72 INTERNATIONAL 8-17 SPORTS 1-8 in playoff -0.67% +0.41% -1.09% Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 TUESDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10714 January 30, 2018 Jumada I 13, 1439 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Qatar plans In brief to boost US QATAR | Offi cial Emir congratulates Finland’s president His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim military ties bin Hamad al-Thani and His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah zAl Udeid base in Qatar to be expanded bin Hamad al-Thani sent yesterday z2040 vision includes hosting US Navy cables of congratulations to Finland’s President, Sauli Niinisto, on his re- zQatar wants to end GCC crisis and US plays key role election for a new presidential term. E the Deputy Prime Minister Arabia and the UAE cut off diplomatic REGION | Confl ict and Minister of State for De- relations with Qatar and imposed a Hfence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mo- land, sea and air blockade. Tank battle rocks hamed al-Attiyah has said Qatar plans “What’s happening in the region in ‘coup-hit’ Aden to further strengthen military relations the past seven months isn’t good for At least nine people were killed in HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Aff airs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah, currently on a visit with the US. the secure fl ow of energy. Keeping the heavy fighting between separatists and to the United States, met a group of US military experts in Washington, DC. The meeting reviewed bilateral relations of mutual In a discussion on ‘US-Qatar Mili- GCC in coherent status is very impor- government troops yesterday as a tank interest between the two friendly countries in the defence and military fields, and means of enhancing them. It also discussed tary-to-Military Relations’ hosted by tant for a safe and smooth fl ow of en- battle broke out on the second day of boosting eff orts in the area of combating terrorism and extremism. the Heritage Foundation in Washing- ergy,” he observed. an attempted “coup” in Yemen’s interim ton, DC yesterday, HE Dr al-Attiyah HE Dr al-Attiyah reiterated that Qa- capital Aden, military sources said. said the development of ties includes tar wants to end the GCC crisis and As the fighting escalated, the Saudi- plans to expand the US airbase in Qa- the US plays an important role. “At the led military coalition which supports tar that currently houses about 10,000 moment, I think the only person who the government called for dialogue American military personnel, Al can solve the GCC crisis is President and for it to hear the demands of Jazeera reported. (Donald) Trump. And I think he can the separatists in the southern port A 2040 vision on enhancing military solve it in a phone call,” he said. “No- city. “We are calling on the legitimate QDB embarks on new co-operation between the two coun- body is benefi ting from what is hap- government to look into the demands tries also includes plans to build ports pening in the GCC except for terror of the political and social movement,” to host the US Navy in the future, he groups. said coalition spokesman Colonel Turki said. “We’re open to dialogue. We can dis- al-Maliki. Page 7 The discussion was held a day be- cuss anything. The only thing we don’t home farming initiative fore the US-Qatar strategic dialogue accept is imposing conditions on us or AMERICA | Politics takes place in Washington, DC today. tampering with our sovereignty. US lift s ban on refugees zProgramme to impart The Heritage Foundation is a US-based “We’re tough people. We don’t ac- hydroponics skills to Qatar think-thank. cept pre-conditions. But at the same from 11 countries residents, says off icial Expansion of the Al Udeid base – time, we’re very open to discuss issues The United States announced home of the US Central Command – that worry them.” yesterday it was lifting its ban on will allow for 200 more housing units HE the Minister said Qatari mili- refugees from 11 “high-risk” countries, By Peter Alagos for officers and their families, HE tary commanders are planning, along but said those seeking to enter the Business Reporter the Minister said. “It will very soon with their Pentagon counterparts, to US would come under much tougher become a family-oriented place for strengthen military relations within scrutiny than in the past. Applicants our American friends there. We want the framework of the 2040 vision, from 11 countries, unnamed but atar Development Bank (QDB) more of the families to be stable and which includes plans to construct ports understood to include 10 Muslim- is embarking on a new initiative feel more comfortable in their stay.” to host the US Navy, according to Al majority nations plus North Korea, will Qthat will promote home farming Al Udeid serves as one of the most Jazeera Arabic. face tougher “risk-based” assessments among residents in the country using important overseas US military bases Meanwhile, he stressed that Qatar to be accepted. hydroponics technology, a senior offi - with operations throughout the Middle would not allow to anyone to ma- cial has said. East launched from Qatar. nipulate the prices of oil and gas. EUROPE | Weather The initiative, which is expected to “Qatar is strategically placed. Af- “Thirty per cent of our partners are be launched soon, according to QDB ghanistan, Iraq, Syria – these are all American companies such as Exx- Seine peaks as fl ood-hit executive director of Business Finance Khalid Abdulla al-Mana, QDB executive Abdulrahman al-Obaidly, HiSky for hotspots in the region. I am not exag- onMobil. We have the world’s larg- Paris eyes clean-up Khalid Abdulla al-Mana, is cost-effi - director of Business Finance. Tourism and Exhibitions chairman. gerating when I say 80% of aerial refu- est gas field, and our partner is Exx- The River Seine peaked yesterday cient and “will clearly make Qatar more elling in the region is from Udeid,” HE onMobil – perhaps forever, not for at more than 4m above its normal self-suffi cient”. Al-Obaidly said exhibitors from Ku- port local SMEs and strengthen their the Minister noted. “We’re the ones 10 years – but maybe even 60 or 70 level, heralding a lengthy mop-up Al-Mana, who was speaking to re- wait, Oman, Lebanon, the UK, Turkey, capacity to contribute to the state’s that keep your birds fl ying.” years,” he added. job for Parisians after days of rising porters on the sidelines of a press con- Spain, the US, France, Italy, Germany, economic sustainability. In addition, He added that the US presence has Washington, DC will today host the waters that have put the soggy city ference on the Qatar Self-Suffi ciency Switzerland, Iran, China, Japan, India, we remain committed to activating the been benefi cial for Qatar’s armed forc- Qatari-US strategic dialogue during on alert. This December and January Exhibition 2018, said the programme is Malaysia and Sweden are expected to manufacturing sector and elevating es. “We’re learning a lot on the mili- which a number of agreements and have been France’s wettest for 50 similar to QDB’s eff orts to help farmers participate in the event. Eight coun- SMEs to become the main provider for tary side by fl ying side by side. We are memorandums of understanding are years, the national weather agency increase crop production in Qatar. tries have already reserved booth space, the State of Qatar,” he said. learning from the Americans, it’s a real expected to be signed between the two said — and the saturated ground in the Al-Mana told Gulf Times that QDB’s he said. Qatari Businessmen Association operational environment.” countries in various fi elds, notably en- Paris region means that even though home farming initiative will also in- He noted that the exhibition “is a chairman HE Sheikh Faisal bin Qas- In June 2017, Egypt, Bahrain, Saudi ergy and information security. the waters are now set to recede, the volve training residents in hydropon- clear demonstration that the country sim al-Thani said Qatar is now ready to clean-up will be slow. “Lessons need ics technology. “It is a very good pro- is being steered towards growth and welcome all projects that off er added to be learned from this,” said top Paris gramme because it is not expensive,” success, under the able and visionary value, especially after the regulations off icial Michel Delpuech. Page 12 he said. governance of its leaders”, even as the and procedures announced by His According to al-Mana, Qatar has a blockade imposed on Qatar is well into Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin AFGHANISTAN | Unrest high-level of self-suffi ciency in food its eighth month. “The nation has con- Hamad al-Thani related to free zones Study shows signifi cant items such as dairy or fresh poultry. tinued to move ahead, displaying resil- and foreign investments. 11 soldiers killed in He noted that QDB is working towards ience and a clear determination to grow He also said the exhibition serves as a fresh Kabul attack reaching 100% self-suffi ciency and and become self-reliant,” he stressed.