QATAR | Page 16 BUSINESS | Page 1 China to counter latest US tariff s as Trump Indian community vows deal celebrates 73rd on America terms Independence Day published in QATAR since 1978 FRIDAY Vol. XXXX No. 11277 August 16, 2019 Dhul-Hijja 15, 1440 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals In brief Space tourism moves a step closer to reality QATAR | Diplomacy Gibraltar Amir holds phone talk with Putin His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani yesterday held a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin. decides to They reviewed strategic bilateral relations and means to enhance them in all fields. The Amir and the Russian president expressed their satisfaction with the strong level of bilateral co-operation, particularly in the commerce and economy fields. free Iran’s The Amir invited Putin to visit Qatar. The Russian leader congratulated the Amir on the advent of Eid al- Adha and invited him to participate in the St Petersburg International Economic Forum in 2020. The Amir welcomed the invitation. The Amir oil tanker and Putin also discussed the latest regional developments. This undated Virgin Galatic and Spaceship Company handout photo obtained on Wednesday shows Virgin Galactic’s US seeks to detain ship, UK says Spaceflight System as it prepares for flight at Spaceport America in the desert near Truth or Consequences, New Mexico. Space QATAR | Offi cial Tehran must abide by assurances tourism moved a step closer to reality yesterday as Virgin Galactic unveiled its new Mission Control at the spaceport and the Amir greets Indian schedule for final test flights before taking paying customers into the final frontier. president on I-Day Reuters a new legal procedure for the detention His Highness the Amir Sheikh London/ Gibraltar of the vessel should be commenced,” Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and Picardo said. His Highness the Deputy Amir “That is a matter for our independ- Israel bars visit Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- ritain’s Mediterranean territory ent Mutual Legal Assistance authori- GDI signs joint venture Thani yesterday sent cables of Gibraltar yesterday decided to ties who will make an objective, legal congratulations to Indian President Bfree a seized Iranian oil tanker, determination of that request for sepa- by two US Ram Nath Kovind on the occasion but did not immediately indicate when rate proceedings.” agreement with Seadrill of the anniversary of his country’s or if the ship would set sail after the Iran said the ship would sail shortly congresswomen Independence Day. HE the Prime United States launched a new, last- and Foreign Minister Mohamed Javad Minister and Minister of Interior minute legal bid to hold it. Zarif characterised the US bid to pre- ulf Drilling International The fi rm terms of the well-based Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin The Grace 1 was seized by British vent it from leaving as “piracy”. (GDI), a wholly owned sub- contracts will commence in 2020 Khalifa al-Thani also sent a similar Royal Marine commandos in dark- “America desperately tried to block Gsidiary of Gulf International with initial terms concluding in 2023 cable to Indian Prime Minister ness off the coast of the territory at the t he release of the tanker at the last Services (GIS), has executed a joint and 2024 and an estimated total con- Narendra Modi on the occasion. western mouth of the Mediterranean minute, but faced a miserable defeat,” venture agreement with Seadrill tract value (including mobilisation on July 4 on suspicion of violating Eu- Iran’s ambassador to Britain, Hamid Limited to service the Qatar Petro- income) of QATAR | Cables ropean Union sanctions by taking oil to Baeidinejad, said on Twitter. leum North Field Expansion drilling QR 2.39bn. The contracts include Syria, a close ally of Iran. “All preparations are done for the programme. single well-based options which Amir sends greetings Two weeks later, Iran seized a Brit- tanker to sail into open waters, and the The joint venture, which will be could add up to an estimated 13.7 to S Korean president ish-fl agged tanker in the Strait of Hor- vessel will soon leave Gibraltar.” established by Qatar Financial Centre cumulative years of term and an ad- His Highness the Amir Sheikh muz leading into the Gulf. The tanker remains anchored, under a 50:50 ownership structure, ditional contract value of QR 2.55bn. This combination of pictures shows Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and The two tankers have become pawns though its prow has moved around by will be named “GulfDrill”. The options could be exercised only Ilhan (L) and Rashida during a press His Highness the Deputy Amir in the standoff between Iran and the at least 180 degrees. GIS is one of the largest service if the contractual stipulations are conference, at the US Capitol. Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al- West, their fate tangled up in the diplo- Earlier, a small vessel approached groups in Qatar, with interests in a realised prior to the end of the fi rm Thani yesterday sent cables of matic diff erences between the EU’s big the Grace 1, which lowered a step lad- broad cross-section of industries, contracts period. If the options are srael said yesterday it will bar a congratulations to South Korean powers and the United States. der that at least two persons used it to ranging from insurance, re-insur- exercised by the customer at a later planned visit by two US congress- President Moon Jae-in on the Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picar- reach the ship deck where they shook ance, onshore and off shore drilling, date, GIS will announce the award of Iwomen who have supported a boy- occasion of his country’s National do decided to lift the detention order hands with people already on board. accommodation barge, helicopter the options accordingly. cott of the country over its treatment Day. HE the Prime Minister and after formal written assurances from Te- Jalil Eslami, deputy head of Iran’s transportation, and catering services. William Ceppi, GDI’s Chief Execu- of the Palestinians, a decision strongly Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah hran that the ship would not discharge its Ports and Maritime Organisation, told The joint venture is formed to tive Offi cer, stated: “We are pleased encouraged by President Donald Trump. bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani also 2.1mn barrels of oil in Syria. the semi-offi cial Mehr news agency the support the execution of the drilling with the continued collaboration Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent a cable of congratulations to “In light of the assurances we have Grace 1 would head to “Mediterranean contracts which have been awarded with our joint venture partner. We called the highly unusual move against South Korean Prime Minister Lee received, there are no longer any rea- ports”, citing “an announcement by the to GDI, a release issued by GIS yes- look forward to working closely with Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib neces- Nak-yeon on the occasion. sonable grounds for the continued legal owner of the tanker”. terday said. all stakeholders on this signifi cant sary, charging that their “sole purpose detention of the Grace 1 in order to en- Britain’s Foreign Offi ce said Iran GDI has no required capital con- project and we remain honoured to is to harm Israel and increase incite- AMERICA | Weather sure compliance with the EU Sanctions must abide by its pledge that the ship tribution to the joint venture. GDI be entrusted to continue our safe and ment against it”. Regulation,” Picardo said. would not sail for Syria. will be subcontracted by the joint effi cient operations for Qatar Petro- US politicians called on Israel to re- July 2019 hottest However, Gibraltar officials did not There was “no comparison or link- venture to mobilise and manage the leum.” consider, while senior Palestinian of- month on record make clear whether the US legal bid age between Iran’s unacceptable and rigs to meet the requirements of the The joint venture comes in line fi cial Hanan Ashrawi labelled it “an July 2019 temperatures were the would mean the ship would have to illegal seizure of, and attacks on, com- drilling contracts. The joint venture with GIS’s strategy to capture new outrageous act of hostility against the hottest ever recorded globally, be detained further or, if so, for how mercial shipping vessels in the Strait will source rigs directly from Seadrill, business opportunities that would American people and their representa- the US National Oceanic and long. of Hormuz and the enforcement of EU and any additional rigs required will potentially help increase revenues tives”. Omar said it was a “chilling” Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) “Separately, the United States De- Syria sanctions by the Government of be sourced from an unrelated third- and ultimately maximise shareholder decision and an “insult to democratic said yesterday. Page 5 partment of Justice has requested that Gibraltar,” it added in a statement. party shipyard. value. values.” To Page 3 S Indian stars rock Qatar audience at awards event By Shafeeq Alingal the Telugu and Kannada fi lm indus- Staff Reporter tries, including actors, singers, direc- tors, writers, music directors, produc- ers and technicians. lamour and glitter marked the They included Keerthy Suresh, Vijay fi rst day of the eighth annual Deverakonda, Yash, Shriya Saran, Raai GPantaloons South Indian Inter- Laxmi, Ashish Gandhi, Dhananjaya, national Movie Awards (SIIMA) at the Nidhhi Agerwal, Anasuya, Andrea Jer- Lusail Sports Arena yesterday, as a gal- emiah, Sundeep Kishan, Shanvi Srivat- axy of stars descended on Doha to be a sava, Ananya Bhat, Vijay Raghavendra, part of the two-day mega show.