BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Kvitova reigns supreme INDEX DOW JONES QE NYMEX QATAR 2-8, 24 COMMENT 22, 23 in Qatar REGION 9 BUSINESS 1-7, 14-16 25,236.00 9,079.43 61.68 ARAB WORLD 9 CLASSIFIED 8-13 HIA celebrates its +2.001 +51.72 +0.34 INTERNATIONAL 10-21 SPORTS 1-8 +0.01% +0.57% +0.55% capacity expansion Latest Figures published in QATAR since 1978 MONDAY Vol. XXXVIII No. 10734 February 19, 2018 Jumada II 3, 1439 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals Emir attends Qatar Open final Strong desire In brief exists to end QATAR | Offi cial Emir condoles with Iranian president Qatar siege: His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh French envoy Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani sent yesterday cables of condolences to Iranian President QNA consistent with his wise 2030 vision Hassan Rouhani, expressing their Doha which aims at providing alternative condolences on the victims of the sources of income for gas and oil in the Iranian plane crash. future. here are signs of peace and a fi rm “Qatar is progressing, thriving, QATAR | Offi cial desire to end the unjust siege on growing stronger, becoming more self- TQatar, the French envoy for the reliant, and creating major interna- Emir congratulates new Gulf countries, Bertrand Besancenot, tional alliances despite the siege,” the South African president has said. French envoy underlined. His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim “This is in line with the will of Ku- At the political level, Besancenot bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness wait, France and the US to end the cri- said that the Emir of Qatar has always the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin sis,” he told local Arabic daily Al Sharq reiterated his hope of dialogue with his Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani attended yesterday evening the final of Qatar Total Open for women at in an interview. partners in the GCC, particularly Saudi Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex. The Emir watched the match between Petra Kvitova and Garbine Muguruza “Dialogue is the only solution to end Arabia. Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani which ended in victory for Kvitova 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. A number of sheikhs, ministers, ambassadors and guests watched the match. the crisis that harms everyone,” Be- “The Emir took several important sent yesterday cables of congratulations Sport Page 1 sancenot pointed out, stressing that measures to reassure his partners, espe- to Cyril Ramaphosa on being sworn in France supports the Kuwaiti mediation cially his allies in France and the US, re- as the new president of South Africa. and Qatar’s strong desire to end the garding transparency in the fi eld of pre- crisis. venting the funding of extremist groups.” QATAR | Offi cial French President Emmanuel Macron He highlighted the concrete meas- has given special attention to resolving ures taken by the Qatari authorities by Emir congratulates the Gulf crisis through serious partici- signing treaties, security agreements Gambian president National Museum architect pation in the international mediation and strategic partnership with the US, His Highness the Emir Sheikh Tamim network to end the unjust siege on Qa- as well as France, to promote co-op- bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness tar, the envoy said. eration in combating terrorism and its the Deputy Emir Sheikh Abdullah bin fi nancing. Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Besancenot highlighted the “The position of Qatar is very clear. Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Nouvel visits his masterpiece concrete measures taken Qatar is fi ghting terrorism and stresses Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa by the Qatari authorities by its keenness on dialogue. Therefore, al-Thani sent yesterday cables of signing treaties, security France supports the Kuwaiti mediation congratulations to Gambian President ean Nouvel, the world-renowned agreements and strategic and the Qatari desire and its policy. Adama Barrow on the anniversary of French architect who designed the partnership with the US, as Speaking about the relations be- his country’s Independence Day. Jstriking National Museum of Qa- well as France, to promote tween Qatar and France, Besancenot tar, toured his architectural master- co-operation in combating underlined the depth of relations be- QATAR | Aviation piece with Mansoor bin Ebrahim al- terrorism and its fi nancing tween the two countries, in light of Mahmoud, Qatar Museums CEO and the recent visit of President Macron to A350-1000 fi rst special adviser to HE the chairperson “The Gulf crisis has dangerous con- Qatar, as well as the large joint ventures destination London Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin sequences to everybody, undermines between the two countries and the ho- Qatar Airways will operate the Airbus Khalifa al-Thani. the collective image of the Gulf and ob- rizons of future co-operation. A350-1000 to London’s Heathrow On the occasion of his visit, Sheikha structs the security, political and com- “France and Qatar have a similar po- Airport as its first destination, the Al Mayassa tweeted: #JeanNouvel mercial co-operation, and even the re- litical and diplomatic vision on many airline’s senior vice-president (Marketing shares his impression on the progress turn of international investment to the topics. The French-Qatari bilateral re- and Corporate Communications) and of Doha’s most iconic building The region,” he cautioned. lations have been, and will remain, very off icial spokesperson, Salam al-Shawa, National Museum of Qatar #NMoQ @ President Macron has expressed his solid. They are based on ancient histor- said on Twitter yesterday. The state-of- ateliersjnouvel. deep concern over the negative conse- ical roots and the consensus of visions the-art aircraft is set to arrive in Doha on When the museum opens in Decem- quences of the siege at the humanitar- in several fi elds”. Wednesday, February 21. ber 2018, it will off er visitors an op- ian level and called on the siege coun- The French envoy praised the co-op- tries to lift it immediately, Besancenot eration of the two countries even at the REGION | Aviation said. cultural, scientifi c and technical levels “Resolving the crisis may take time, as well as the participation of France Iran postpones hunt for Nouvel interacting with al-Mahmoud during his visit. but France’s ally, the US, is also in- in major projects such as the metro plane lost in blizzard terested in resolving the issue which and the 2022 World Cup projects. The The hunt for a plane that disappeared portunity to explore and learn about locking discs that surround the struc- would contribute to ending the crisis. French institutions in Qatar are invest- with 66 people onboard in Iran’s Zagros the life of the Qatari people between ture, creating a ring of gallery spaces Besancenot praised the policy of ing in infrastructure, energy, environ- mountains was stopped until morning the desert and the sea. The museum circling a central court. The discs are His Highness the Emir of Qatar Sheikh ment and modern technologies. as blizzard conditions made progress will combine historic objects and con- inspired by the desert rose. Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to end the The two countries have signed con- impossible for rescue teams, state temporary infl uences, showcasing the The National Museum of Qatar is Gulf crisis and his proposal for dialogue tracts worth more than 16bn euros in television said yesterday. “With the wind country’s recent history and telling the built around Sheikh Abdullah bin Jas- with leaders of the siege countries. defence, transport, aviation and pol- intensifying, and with snow, rain and entire story of Qatar from its tradition- sim al-Thani’s original palace — his “The Emir of Qatar has taken many lution control, especially during Presi- darkness, it is not possible for rescue al and historical past to the country’s family home and seat of the govern- measures to preserve the unity of the dent Macron’s visit to Qatar. Security and relief teams to reach high altitudes development into a thriving modern ment for 25 years — one of Qatar’s most people and overcome the impact of the and defence co-operation between Qa- and the search operation has been state. recognisable landmarks and a building siege by ensuring food security and the tar and France is also the cornerstone postponed until tomorrow,” broadcaster The design of the museum is an or- that served as a monument to a historic trend towards industrialisation and of bilateral co-operation, the French IRIB announced. Page 9 ganically propagating series of inter- way of life in Qatar. self-suffi ciency, which is excellent and envoy added. ‘Qatar has good competitive HIA plans to add 20 more e-gates indicators in global market’ zThe provision of “The provision of e-gates has been ice was made free and available to most e-gates has been a big a big achievement for the airport and expats in 2017. QNA of Asuncion. He called on Qatari inves- welcomed by both Qataris and expatri- “HIA is a state-of-the-art airport Doha tors to invest in his country in various achievement for the ates,” al-Meer told Gulf Times. with a strong focus on technology- fi elds, especially agriculture and serv- airport and welcomed The airport currently has 40 auto- enabled innovation, as per their ‘Smart ices. by both Qataris and mated border control e-gates that al- Airport’ vision,” al-Meer noted.