Qatar

Athens / Information Office / September 02

HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Hellenic Republic Abdulaziz Ali Al Naama underlined that the State of Qatar has great interest to invest in Greece, noting that the relations between Qatar and Greece are developing continuously.

In an interview with the Greek newspaper (Ta Nea), HE the Qatari Ambassador said that the State of Qatar to provide a rich and unique experience for football fans in the 2022 World Cup, which will be a gateway to learn about the Arab culture at its best.

HE the Ambassador highlighted the developing relations between Qatar and Greece in light of the meetings between officials in both countries and the exchange of high-level official visits.

He said that the State of Qatar is keen on strengthening the bilateral relations with Greece, noting the mutual diplomatic support in international conferences and organizations, the signing of a number of agreements, increasing air traffic, and completing important pending agreements that highlight the development of the bilateral relations.

Within the scope of air navigation, Qatar Airways added two destinations in addition to Athens, namely the city of Thessaloniki and the island of Mykonos, HE the Ambassador said, pointing to the activation of the visa waiver agreement for holders of diplomatic and special passports, which entered into force.

HE Ambassador Al Naama also noted Qatar's increasing interest in the field of investment at the regional and international levels. Based on the special agreements in the field of investment between Qatar and Greece, the State of Qatar raises the ceiling of its interest in the investment movement in Greece. In addition, the State of Qatar has special institutions and agencies in the investment field, such as Qatar Investment Authority, which specializes in foreign investment in all fields.

On Qatars preparations to host the 2022 World Cup, HE the Ambassador said that the State of Qatar is a sporting destination, and by hosting the World Cup, it seeks to prove to the world that the Arab world has the ability to organize such huge global events.

He stressed that the coronavirus pandemic did not affect or delay Qatar's preparations and hosting projects for the 2022 World Cup, referring to the inauguration of the Education City Stadium, the third stadium for the FIFA World Cup. He added that the last stadium will be completed in 2021, one year before the tournament begins.

HE the Ambassador said that Qatar has moved from the stage of preparation for this important incident to the stage of reality, which includes planning, preparing and selecting the stadiums that will host the opening and the final matches, referring in this context to the announcement of the Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy of the schedule of matches for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and that Al Bayt Stadium which takes the name and character of the traditional tents and can accommodate 60,000 spectators, will be the stage for the opening of the tournament hosted by Qatar on Monday 21 November 2022. The final match will be played on December 18, 2022, which coincides with the country's National Day, at Lusail Stadium in front of 80,000 spectators.

On the unjust blockade imposed on the State of Qatar, HE the Ambassador underlined that the State of Qatar has succeeded in overcoming the blockade and its negative effects. Qatar has triumphed over the blockade imposed on it by sisterly countries, and has turned it into a catalyst to achieve more accomplishments in various fields, and has become stronger than ever before despite more than three years of the blockade.

Since the start of the Gulf crisis, Qatar has called for dialogue, which must be within the framework of a charter based on four foundations, namely: mutual respect, common interests, non-dictation in foreign policy, and non-interference in internal affairs, the Ambassador explained.

By days, Doha moved to the stage of placing the blockading countries in the dock, whereby the UAE was placed before the International Court of Justice, due to its continuous violations of human rights against the State of Qatar and its citizens. Doha also took Saudi Arabia to international human rights organizations with regard to its politicization of the Hajj, and the obstruction of Qatari pilgrims freely performing their religious rituals. The World Trade Organization also issued its ruling against Saudi Arabias violations of the intellectual property rights of Qatari companies, specifically because of Riyadhs refusal to take measures against the piracy channel "BoutQ" and to encourage this piracy against the Qatari company (beIN SPORTS).

The International Court of Justice brought justice to the State of Qatar, after it issued a decision rejecting the two appeals filed before the International Court of Justice by the blockading countries, regarding the jurisdiction of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to consider the complaint of the State of Qatar, against the background of the blockading countries closing their airspace since June 2017 before Qatari aircraft, in flagrant violation of international law and relevant international conventions.