Russia hopes to strengthen coordination with Qatar in framework of GECF - Duma speaker

MOSCOW, January 18. /TASS/. Russia hopes to strengthen coordination with Qatar in the framework of Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), State Duma Speaker Sergey Naryshkin said on Monday at the meeting with Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Al Thani is on his first official visit to Russia that is taking place on January 17-19 on the invitation of Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I would especially want to note that our countries were among the founders of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum. We hope that now, when such great challenges arise in the sphere of gas production and trade, we will strengthen coordination in this international organization," Naryshkin said. GCEF has 14 permanent members - Iran, Russia, Qatar, Algeria, Bolivia, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Libya, Nigeria, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela, Peru, the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The Netherlands, Kazakhstan, Iraq and Norway hold the observer status. The GCEF member countries control more than 70 percent of world gas reserves. Read more