President of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov: We are interested in developing relations with the State of Qatar

RT President Rustam Minnikhanov met with Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of State Qatar to Russian Federation Ahmed Saif Al-Midadi in Kazan Kremlin.

Rustam Minnikhanov welcomed Mr Ambassador and thanked for visit to Tatarstan. RT President noted that republic pays much attention to relations with countries of Islamic world.

“Since 1990s our republic has been actively engaged into international activity developing relations with Islamic-Arabic world. Today we maintain relations with Organization of the Islamic Conference ( the OIC ) and its branches, the Islamic Development Bank, scientific institutes, the OIC youth forum. We have also built strong relations with Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Egypt and other countries”, - Rustam Minnikhanov said. He thinks that visit of Ambassador of state Qatar may become a starting point for making relations more strong and qualitative.

Rustam Minnikhanov reminded that the first President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev visited state of Qatar with official Russian delegation in February 2007.

RT President emphasized it is necessary to develop trade-economic relations with state Qatar and suggested organizing visit of business mission from Qatar to Republic Tatarstan for detailed examining economic potential of republic and defining the most perspective joint projects in such areas as mechanical engineering, helicopter industry, IT sector and nanotechnologies.

Rustam Minnikhanov invited sportsmen and students from the state of Qatar to take part in summer World Universiade 2013 in Kazan.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of state Qatar Ahmed Saif Al-Midadi thanked for warm welcome. He supported proposal of Rustam Minnikhanov to organize business visit of Qatar entrepreneurs to Tatarstan.

Ambassador of state Qatar informed that today relations between Russia and Qatar are being developed. Qatar make investments into banking sphere, real estate and industry of Russia.

Ahmed Saif Al-Midadi said that people in his country also pay much attention to development of sport. The sportsmen from Qatar will take part in Universiade 2013.