OREANDA-NEWS. On June 28, 2007 the Russian Minister of Industry and Energy Victor Khristenko met with Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers, Minister of Industry and Energy of the State of Qatar Adullah ben Hamad al-Attiyah at Minpromenego, reported the press-centre of Minprom.

“Our countries have more important topics to discuss than mere trade figures, we have a vast potential of strategic cooperation on global matters, including gas,” Victor Khristenko said as he welcomed his Qatar counterpart in Moscow. Mr.al-Attiyah for his part noted that his country was the biggest exporter of liquefied natural gas, and Russia was the biggest exporter of gas via pipeline, and that the companies in the two countries faced good prospects for cooperation.

On global energy cooperation, the two ministers stressed the importance of the work of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) and noted the unduly emotional reaction of some media outlets and observers to the ministerial meeting in Doha in April.

Mr.al-Attiyah said the producer countries had the right to uphold their interests just like the consumer countries. Victor Khristenko remarked: “Of, course, some may find it convenient to talk with us in one-way radio mode, when some do all the talking and others do all the listening,” and stressed the need for a dialogue between all the parties concerned.

Mr.Khistenko said that Russia attached great significance to the work of the High-Level Committee to prepare the next GEFC ministerial meeting in Moscow in 2008 and noted that the HLC would shortly discuss the agenda of the ministerial meeting.