Qatar’s emir to visit Washington on Jan. 31

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DOHA/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Qatar’s ruling emir plans to visit Washington on Jan. 31, two sources conversant in the matter informed Reuters, a visit probably to tackle Afghanistan, the safety of gasoline provides to Europe in addition to Iran.

Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani’s visit, the primary since President Joe Biden took workplace a 12 months in the past, comes as Washington discusses with energy-producing states and companies a possible diversion of provides to Europe if Russia invades Ukraine.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken mentioned the matter with the international minister of Qatar, a high liquefied pure gasoline producer, in a cellphone name on Monday, one of many sources stated.

Washington is anxious {that a} doable Russian navy assault on Ukraine may set off U.S. and European sanctions on Moscow, which might then halt the supply of Russian gasoline to Europe. Russia denies it plans to assault Ukraine.

Global gasoline provides are already tight and Qatar Energy’s shipments are locked into long-term provide contracts which the corporate can’t simply break.

Sheikh Tamim’s visit goals to construct on relations with ally Washington which have strengthened since Doha hosted talks that led to the 2020 deal for U.S. troops to pull out of Afghanistan, and performed a pivotal position in evacuation efforts through the U.S. withdrawal. Qatar has additionally grow to be the U.S. diplomatic consultant in Afghanistan, now beneath Islamist Taliban rule.

Qatar and Turkey are in negotiations with the Taliban administration to handle operations at Kabul’s worldwide airport, the landlocked nation’s predominant worldwide airlink.

Sheikh Tamim and Biden are additionally anticipated to talk about efforts by international powers to salvage a 2015 nuclear pact with Iran, with which Doha has ties, in addition to efforts to finish the Yemen struggle, the sources stated.

The emir’s visit additionally comes amid a spiraling row between Qatar Airways and Europe’s Airbus, a rival of U.S. planemaker Boeing.

Airbus revoked a Qatar Airways order for jetliners after the Qatari airline sued the planemaker for greater than $600 million over paint and floor flaws the airline says compelled it to floor 21 A350 jets.

(Reporting by Andrew Mills in Doha and Jonathan (*31*) in Washington; writing by Andrew Mills; enhancing by Mark Heinrich)



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