Gaza peace talks yet to make headway as Israel stick to its conditions
Sources in the Israeli Defense Ministry told IANS that Israel would stick to its terms, which the war cabinet had agreed upon.
Qatar on Monday announced that it intends to withdraw from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) after nearly 60 years of membership in order to focus on its plans to increase natural gas production.
The planned January 1, 2019, withdrawal was announced at a press conference here earlier in the day and confirmed by Qatar Petroleum, the state-owned corporation responsible for oil and gas activities, on Twitter.
“The withdrawal decision reflects Qatar’s desire to focus its efforts on plans to develop and increase its natural gas production,” announced Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, the country’s Minister of State for Energy Affairs.
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Qatar announces it was withdrawing from the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries “OPEC” effective 1 January 2019.
— Qatar Petroleum (@qatarpetroleum) December 3, 2018
He said that OPEC had been informed of the decision, Efe news reported.
Qatar has been a member of OPEC since 1961. It said the organization was aware of its decision to withdraw.
Al-Kaabi said the withdrawal decision reflected the country’s aim to increase its natural gas production from 77 million tonnes a year to 110 million tonnes in the coming years.
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