ISO 9001:2008 CERTIFIED NEWSPAPER Wednesday 11 September 2013 5 Dhul-qa’da 1434 - Volume 18 Number 5819 Price: QR2 Qatari banks’ Awesome assets rise by Nadal wins US 18pc: QCB Open title Business | 17 Sport | 28 www.thepeninsulaqatar.com [email protected] | [email protected] Editorial: 4455 7741 | Advertising: 4455 7837 / 4455 7780 Sheikha Moza meets Duke of York Qatar received 76.8mm annual GCC plans to average rainfall DOHA: Qatar received an aver- age 76.8 millimetres of rain every year from 1972 to 2012, unify prices according to the Ministry of Environment. Rainfall in the country saw major fluctuations over this period, the lowest recorded in 2001 at 4.7 millime- of medicines tres and the highest in 1995 at 276.8 millimetres, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported yester- Move will help bring down prices day, quoting the annual booklet on rainfall issued by the Ministry. DOHA: The GCC states are He said the UAE since last The booklet includes a report working on a plan to unify the June reduced the prices of 6,632 on 28 rain measurement stations prices of all medicines. A uni- medicines and a majority of them across Qatar including those in form price list is expected to be were at par with the standard- Rawdat Al Furs in Al Shamal, endorsed by a meeting of the ised prices approved by the GCC Al Aturiyah in central Qatar and Gulf Health Ministers early committee. Abu Samrah in the south. next year. He said the purpose of the The stations provide details of The unified prices, once imple- series of meetings was to have rains for underground reserves mented, may lead to a fall in the unified prices for all medicines in to store water for agricultural prices of medicines in member the GCC countries.. purposes. Qatar like other GCC countries, including Qatar. “The ultimate aim is to pro- H H Sheikha Moza bint Nasser with Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, in Doha yesterday. Prince Andrew was countries is located on dry land A mechanism to standard- vide medicines all over the GCC here for the inauguration of University College London Qatar (UCL Qatar). They discussed matters of coop- where rainfall fluctuates sharply, ise the prices is currently being countries at same and minimum eration in the fields of health and research. UCL Qatar was inaugurated by Sheikha Moza yesterday. said the booklet. worked out and the complete prices, relying on the GCC lead- (AISHA AL MUSALLAM) THE PENINSULA process of reaching an agree- ers’ decision to make the profit See also page 3 ment on uniform prices may take margins for dealers and the phar- more than four years, according macies not go beyond 44 percent,” to media reports. said Al Ameeri. Currently wide disparities exist Industry sources in Qatar, how- in the prices of medicines in the ever, say that prices of medicines region, with prices remaining in Qatar have not seen any major Threat of US strike against Syria eases high in countries like Qatar. changes over the past one year. This issue is being discussed “No decline in the prices can be WASHINGTON/AMMAN: again bombing rebel positions at the 11th meeting of the joint expected unless the international Syria accepted a Russian pro- in the capital. France wants a GCC committee for medicine companies reduce their prices or posal yesterday to give up chem- GCC says plan won’t work binding UN Security Council prices which began in Dubai yes- profit margins of the local sup- ical weapons and win a reprieve RIYADH: Gulf states said the Gulf Arabs’ first response. resolution that would provide a terday. A senior representative of pliers are cut,” said a pharmacist. from US military strikes, and yesterday that a Russian pro- “It’s all about chemical weap- framework for controlling and the Supreme Council of Health If the GCC countries take a major western powers began posal to place Syria’s chemical ons, but doesn’t stop the spill- eliminating the weapons. (SCH) is attending the meeting. joint decision to make the prices working on a United Nations weapons under international ing of the blood of the Syrian Britain and the United States The move to unify the prices uniform, the international and resolution to create a timeta- control with the aim of avert- people.” said they would work on quickly follows a decision by the GCC regional suppliers will be forced ble and process for ensuring it ing a US strike would not end In an address at the start of formulating a resolution. Health ministries last year to to respond to it positively. happens. the bloodshed in Syria. the meeting, Khalifa called for The UN Security Council import medicines jointly through A decision by the SCH to liber- Syrian Prime Minister Wael The Gulf Cooperation Council “appropriate deterrent meas- initially called a closed door unified tenders. alise imports has led to the entry Al Halki accepted the Russian is a main backer of rebels fight- ures against those who com- meeting asked for by Russia Quoting Dr Ameen Husssain of several new suppliers in the proposal “to spare Syrian blood,” ing Syrian President Bashar Al mitted this crime” and said the to discuss its proposal to place Al Ameeri, undersecretary at the market as well as cheaper medi- state television reported. Assad. chemical attack required “the Syria’s chemical weapons under Ministry of Health of the UAE, cines from new sources in some The United States and its allies “We’ve heard of the initia- United Nations and the inter- international control, but the Qatar News Agency said that Arab countries. This, however, remained sceptical and President tive,” Bahraini Foreign Minister national community, repre- meeting was later cancelled at during the past ten meetings the has not had a major impact on Barack Obama sought to keep the Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed Al sented by the Security Council, Russia’s request. GCC committee managed to pre- the market, he added. pressure on Syria by maintaining Khalifa told a news conference to shoulder its responsibility”. Moscow appeared strongly pare unified prices of three seg- “The market is still dominated his drive for congressional back- after a meeting of the GCC, in REUTERS opposed to the continuation of ments of medicines, which include by the few leading suppliers. Any ing for a possible military strike any military threats to Damascus, those for endocrine disorders, dia- change in the prices would largely while exploring a diplomatic diplomatic activity focused on the neighbourhood on August 21, the as advocated by Washington. betes, cardio- vascular diseases depend on them,” he said. alternative. response to a suspected chemical civil war resumed in earnest, REUTERS and internal diseases. THE PENINSULA Amid the whirlwind of weapons attack on a Damascus President Bashar Al Assad’s jets See also page 7 Turkey unrest Egypt bars Blatter denies saying Qatar not unlicensed right choice for World Cup preachers BUENOS AIRES: FIFA the year was the mistake, not the have to contend with 50 degrees President Sepp Blatter rejected selection of Qatar as hosts. Celsius heat. CAIRO: Egyptian authorities yesterday media reports claim- “I am of the opinion, and this Calls to move the World Cup will bar 55,000 unlicensed cler- ing he thought it may have been will be discussed by the (FIFA) to later in the year, during the ics from preaching in mosques a mistake to choose Qatar as Executive Board, now that to play European winter, have also proved in the latest move against sym- hosts for the 2022 World Cup. in summer time in Qatar is not unpopular as it would disrupt pathisers of deposed Islamist “No, it was not a mistake the right thing to do,” he said. domestic league competitions in President Mohammed Mursi, because by the rotation it was “We can play also in winter countries such as Spain, England, the minister of religious endow- time to go to the Arabic world,” time and this is also a question Italy, Germany and France. ments said yesterday. Blatter told Reuters on the side- of solidarity. If you never play in Also yesterday, European soc- Egyptian authorities have been lines of an International Olympic winter time the World Cup, you cer clubs said they wanted to be cracking down on Mursi’s Muslim Committee meeting in the will be in the situation where all involved in discussions over any Brotherhood since the army top- Argentinian capital. the countries around the equator possible switch of dates. pled him on July 3 following mass “And now here we are in the and southern hemisphere... can The European Clubs protests against his rule. Arab world. It is not a very big never play in the winter. Association (ECA), which has Minister of Endowments country, but it is a very impor- “(Football) is a sport that is more than 200 members, said it Mohamed Mokhtar Gomaa said tant one. So the decision was played not only in Europe but all wanted to be consulted before any the clerics lack licences to preach absolutely in the context of the around the world.” decision was made. and were considered to be funda- politics of FIFA and especially in Staging the tournament in the Another organisation, repre- mentalist and a threat to Egypt’s the context of the politics of this Middle East has sparked wide- senting the European leagues, security. president.” spread consternation because, if it set out obstacles to the move as The ban will mainly target Blatter said the decision to play is held over its traditional dates in it also urged FIFA not to rush a small unlicensed mosques or the tournament in the middle of the middle of the year, players will decision.