BUSINESS | Page 1 SPORT | Page 1 Messi back in training but Valverde Over 320 aircraft to join will not Qatar Airways fl eet in next few years: Al-Baker take risks published in QATAR since 1978 WEDNESDAY Vol. XXXIX No. 11086 February 6, 2019 Jumada II 1, 1440 AH GULF TIMES www. gulf-times.com 2 Riyals In brief QATAR | Offi cial Qatar, EU reach Amir condoles with Kuwaiti leader His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim landmark ‘open bin Hamad al-Thani, His Highness the Deputy Amir Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad al-Thani and HE the Prime Minister and Minister of Interior Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin skies’ agreement Khalifa al-Thani yesterday sent cables of condolences to the Amir of Kuwait Deal likely to take eff ect petition. Our hope is that the success of Sheikh Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jaber al- before end-2019 these negotiations will encourage other Sabah on the death of Sheikha Lulwa trading blocs and signifi cant aviation Mohamed al-Ali al-Malek al-Sabah. By Pratap John markets to join in achieving a liberal- Chief Business Reporter ised global aviation regime for future QATAR | Diplomacy generations. “The agreement will off er a common Amir sends message atar and the European Union platform for airlines in Europe and Qa- to Malaysian PM have “concluded negotiations” tar to understand each other better, His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim Qfor a landmark Comprehensive creating new opportunities for collab- bin Hamad al-Thani has sent a written Air Transport Agreement, which may oration and co-operation. message to Malaysian Prime Minister take eff ect before the year-end. “We approach the principle of fair Dr Mahathir Mohamad pertaining The announcement on the conclu- competition very simply: fair access to to bilateral relations and means of sion of negotiations was announced markets, competing for market share developing them. The message was by European Commissioner for Mobil- based on products and services of what handed over by Qatar’s ambassador ity and Transport, Violeta Bulc, on the the customer wants and is willing to to Malaysia Fahad bin Mohamed sidelines of the CAPA Aeropolitical and purchase.” Kafood during a meeting with the HE Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Aff airs, President and chief executive of QP, and Darren Woods, Regulatory Aff airs Summit at the Sher- European Commission director gen- Malaysian Prime Minister. chairman and chief executive of ExxonMobil Corporation, shake hands as US Energy Secretary Rick Perry (right) looks on after aton Doha yesterday. eral (Mobility and Transport) Henrik signing the agreement to develop the more than $10bn Golden Pass LNG export project in Texas, in Washington DC yesterday. The “historic agreement” will be the Hololei said: “We are very pleased to QATAR | Ties fi rst of its kind ever between the EU and have concluded our negotiations with a Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) the State of Qatar here in Doha today. Ghana president gets member state, providing a “signifi cant Thanks to the strong commitment of message from Amir competitive edge” to air carriers of all parties, we have managed to recon- His Highness the Amir Sheikh Tamim both sides and a sustainable framework cile our diff erences and found common bin Hamad al-Thani has sent a written for future operations. ground through honest engagement message to Ghana’s President As a result, all air carriers from the and open dialogue.” Nana Akufo-Addo pertaining to QP and Exxon to go 28 European Union member states and “Intense discussions were held as relations between the two countries Qatar now have “unlimited and unre- part of the negotiations, which will be and means of boosting them. The stricted access” to their respective ter- the basis for a holistic future-oriented message was delivered by Qatar’s ritories. aviation partnership covering not only ambassador to the Republic of Ghana As part of this agreement, Qatar and the issues relating to market but also Mohamed bin Ahmed al-Humaid the EU have taken bold steps by agree- issues such as safety, security, envi- during a meeting with the President ahead with $10bn ing to articles on: fair competition, ronment and social aff airs. When the of Ghana on Monday. environment, consumer protection, agreement is reached, it will be a mile- social aspects and transparency, as well stone as it will be the fi rst of its kind in ARAB WORLD | Politics as the inclusion of a doing-business the GCC. provision, which exempts EU carriers “As a result of this agreement, we Lebanon’s new govt from the obligation to hire a local Gen- will have predictable legal framework to stay out of confl icts Texas LNG project eral Sales Agent (GSA) in Qatar. between the two parties. It will form Lebanon’s new government said Qatar Airways Group Chief Execu- the basis for future co-operation and yesterday it will stick with existing Export facility to have a production capacity of 16mn tonnes of LNG per year tive HE Akbar al-Baker said: “Through solidify our co-operation,” he said at a policy of keeping out of regional these negotiations, both sides have press conference. conflicts like Syria after talks to set atar Petroleum (QP) and Exx- benefi ts in the US including federal, the US economy and the neighbour- demonstrated that positive engage- “Yes, we will be able to come to a policy. Lebanon declared a principle onMobil are going ahead with state and local tax revenues over the ing local communities in the US gulf ment can build trust among nations, so conclusion on the agreement this year,” of “disassociation” in 2012 to keep the Qthe more than $10bn Golden life of the project. coast,” al-Kaabi said. they can embrace the benefi ts of com- Hololei told Gulf Times. To Page 7 deeply-divided state formally out of Pass Terminal LNG (liquefi ed natural “The Golden Pass LNG export The development of the Golden complex regional disputes such as gas) project, located in Sabine Pass, project is not our fi rst investment in Pass LNG export facility enhances the the lengthy war in neighbouring Syria. Texas. the US, and is certainly not going to be depth and fl exibility of its global LNG The project, which is owned by our last. It represents a signifi cant part supply portfolio, and reinforces the Taliban hold rare talks with Afghan politicians Golden Pass Products – a joint venture of the plans that QP had announced position of the US as a key contribu- of QP (70%) and ExxonMobil (30%), to invest $20bn in the US energy sec- tor to meeting the world’s growing de- The Taliban began an extraordinary after the insurgents held talks with US was announced yesterday during a tor, which we believe would bring great mand for LNG, he said. meeting with high-ranking Afghan negotiators about ending the 17-year special ceremony held in Washington benefi ts for both the US and Qatar,” “The Golden Pass project is proof politicians – including women – war. The meeting in Russia is “nothing DC. said HE Saad bin Sherida al-Kaabi, the that two of the world’s top energy pro- yesterday in Moscow, where rivals of more than a fantasy. No one can decide It will pave the way for the con- Minister of State for Energy Aff airs, ducers can work together as allies to President Ashraf Ghani called for an without the consent of the Afghan struction of the Golden Pass LNG ex- President and chief executive of QP. increase energy diversity, advance en- interim government as they negotiated people,” Ghani told Afghan broadcaster port facility with a production capac- Highlighting the signifi cance of this ergy security, and support rather than without him. TOLOnews late Tuesday. ity of about 16mn tonnes of LNG per event in the context of the US LNG subvert an open energy marketplace,” The unprecedented gathering saw “Those who have gathered in Moscow year. The project will commence soon, industry, he said: “This investment Rick Perry, the US Secretary of Energy the Taliban outline their vision for have no executive authority. They can and is expected to create in excess of of over $10bn is of a particular im- said. Afghanistan – including rules around say what they want.” 45,000 direct and indirect full-time portance as one of the largest single Darren Woods, chairman and chief women and the adoption of an Islamic But many of his chief opponents – jobs in the US during the construction investment decisions in US LNG his- executive of ExxonMobil Corporation, constitution – before heavyweights, including some contesting presidential period, which is expected to take about tory.” said both QP and it have for decades including former president Hamid elections in July – were present in the fi ve years. “We will all continue working to- successfully demonstrated their capa- Karzai, in televised talks. Russian capital, and some called for the It is estimated that the project will gether towards the successful execu- bilities of producing, shipping and mar- The roundtable, which saw women formation of an interim government to generate more than $35bn of economic tion of this project, which will benefi t keting natural gas globally. To Page 5 defend their rights, comes a week include the Taliban. Qatar, FIFA launch joint venture to organise 2022 World Cup he 2022 FIFA World Cup has of- fi cially entered tournament de- British man held in UAE for wearing Qatar football shirt Tlivery mode after Qatar and FIFA announced the launch of a new joint A British football fan has been between Qatar and Iraq on January venture to organise the event.