الرئيسية
MOSCOW, Dec 5 (Reuters) - Russia said on Monday it was
downgrading relations with Qatar and withdrawing its ambassador
after he was beaten by customs officials at Doha's airport last
month, causing possible difficulty over a major energy deal
between the two countries.
Moscow has "made the decision to downgrade relations with
Qatar," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Qatari Prime
Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani by telephone, a
Ministry statement said.
"Russian Ambassador (Vladimir) Titorenko will leave Qatar
after finishing his course of treatment in the coming days,"
added the statement, referring to the medical care he was
receiving following the physical assault.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry could not be reached for
comment.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Titorenko was
beaten on Nov. 29 when he passed through customs upon returning
to Qatar from a business trip to Jordan.
A complaint sent by the Ministry to Qatar on Nov. 30
demanding an apology received no reply, the statement said.
Qatar said last month it was in negotiations to take a stake
in an Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) project under
development by number-two Russian gas producer Novatek.
The project, in Russia's northern Yamal peninsula, envisions
developing the South Tambey field located in the Arctic area.
Resources from the condensate and gas field are expected to
produce 5 million tonnes of LNG per year when production starts
in 2016 and reach 15 million tonnes per year in 2018.
(Reporting by Amie Ferris-Rotman)
downgrading relations with Qatar and withdrawing its ambassador
after he was beaten by customs officials at Doha's airport last
month, causing possible difficulty over a major energy deal
between the two countries.
Moscow has "made the decision to downgrade relations with
Qatar," Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Qatari Prime
Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani by telephone, a
Ministry statement said.
"Russian Ambassador (Vladimir) Titorenko will leave Qatar
after finishing his course of treatment in the coming days,"
added the statement, referring to the medical care he was
receiving following the physical assault.
The Qatari Foreign Ministry could not be reached for
comment.
According to the Russian Foreign Ministry, Titorenko was
beaten on Nov. 29 when he passed through customs upon returning
to Qatar from a business trip to Jordan.
A complaint sent by the Ministry to Qatar on Nov. 30
demanding an apology received no reply, the statement said.
Qatar said last month it was in negotiations to take a stake
in an Arctic liquefied natural gas (LNG) project under
development by number-two Russian gas producer Novatek.
The project, in Russia's northern Yamal peninsula, envisions
developing the South Tambey field located in the Arctic area.
Resources from the condensate and gas field are expected to
produce 5 million tonnes of LNG per year when production starts
in 2016 and reach 15 million tonnes per year in 2018.
(Reporting by Amie Ferris-Rotman)