Greek Media Highlights Visit of HH the Amir to Athens and its Role in Enhancing Bilateral Relations -1-

Greek television channel Antenna1 reported that the state visit of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to Athens, accompanied by an official delegation, marks the beginning of a new chapter in the relations between the two countries and enhances cooperation in areas of mutual interest. The report noted that this visit followed a previous visit by HE Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Doha on February 24th. The report mentioned that the two countries are bound by a series of cooperation agreements and MoU in various fields such as trade, media, air transport, tourism, and culture. In 2009, an agreement on economic and technical cooperation was signed, leading to the establishment of joint ministerial committees in areas of common cooperation. It further stated that bilateral trade between the two countries has significantly increased in recent years, with economic cooperation focusing primarily on energy, tourism, transportation, health, agriculture, and sports. The establ ishment of the Qatari Greek Business Council in 2015 has also contributed to increased trade and investment. The report highlighted how Qatar sent a fully equipped team from the Qatar International Search and Rescue Group, affiliated with the Internal Security Force (Lekhwiya), and a team from the Civil Defense under the Ministry of Interior to participate in search and rescue operations during the wildfires in Greece in August 2021. Qatar is a major exporter of liquefied natural gas, and Greek shipping could play a stimulating role in transporting this gas, contributing to the restructuring of the global energy market, the report added. It also reviewed Qatar's prominent position on the global stage due to its hosting of many major sporting events, as it organized several globally significant sports events in the past decade, surpassing its predecessors in attracting audiences and fans, culminating in the successful organization of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 and the Formula 1 Championship last October. I n conclusion, the report stated that Qatar has gained extensive experience in hosting international sporting events and has a rich calendar for the coming years, including the Asian Games and the Basketball World Cup. The visit of HH the Amir to Greece may open a new chapter of cooperation between the two countries in the field of sports as well. On the other hand, the Greek newspaper 'Capital' published an interview with His Excellency Mr. Ali bin Khalfan Al-Mansouri, HE Ambassador of the State of Qatar to the Hellenic Republic Ali bin Khalfan Al Mansouri , in which he discussed the visit of HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. He stated that the visit is of utmost importance and will serve as a channel to enhance relations between the two countries in various fields, especially in financial, investment, energy, tourism, and agriculture sectors, affirming Qatar's growing interest in investing in Greece. Regarding the prospects of cooperation between the two countries and the expected results of th e visit, he mentioned that bilateral relations between Qatar and Greece are witnessing continuous growth, and Qatar is working on strengthening and enhancing those relations through mutual diplomatic support in international forums and the signing of a series of agreements. Source: Qatar News Agency