Minister for Regional Cooperation Roni Milo: Israel is not using the Qatari gas option to speed up the procurement of gas from Egypt.
Israel’s chief delegate to the WTO Fourth Ministerial Conference in Doha, Minister for Regional Cooperation Roni Milo, met with Qatari officials today to discuss the possibility of Israel importing natural gas from the emirate.
Milo said after the meeting, "I cannot divulge the details. I don't think the chance (that Israel will import gas from Qatar) is great, partly due to technical problems with transporting the gas to Israel. But it's important that Israel retain additional options for the purchase of natural gas." He said, "Israel is not using the Qatari gas option to speed up the procurement of gas from Egypt."
Sources in the Israeli delegation said the Qataris had told the Israelis that an agreement to supply natural gas would strengthen relations between the two countries. Milo denied the statement.
Published by Israel's Business Arena on 12 November 2001