RUSSIA, June 21 - The talks were held as part of Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdelrahman Al-Thani’s working visit to Russia.

Excerpts from the transcript:

Mikhail Mishustin: Mr Prime Minister, welcome to the Russian Government House.

To begin with, please convey my greetings and best wishes to His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani.

This is your first visit to Russia as Prime Minister. I am convinced that your visit will give a fresh boost to promoting and strengthening bilateral cooperation. Qatar is Russia’s key partner in the Middle East. Our friendly relations rely on mutual respect and consideration for each other’s interests.

Russia is interested in building up trade and economic cooperation. Amid a difficult global economic situation, mutual trade in January-April reached over 1.5 billion roubles, or almost 70 million Qatari riyals. However, I am positive that these figures are well below our countries’ vast economic potential.

We propose diversifying mutual trade and transitioning to national currencies – the Russian rouble and the Qatari riyal ­– and otherwise stimulating new joint projects.

We believe that ensuring, in accordance with the decision of our respective heads of state, comfortable conditions for Russian and Qatari companies in the markets of the two countries is the main goal of our respective governments.

The joint Russian-Qatari commission deals with practical matters. Mr Prime Minister, you are heading this from the Qatari side. The Russian side is led by Alexander Novak.

In the energy sector, Russia and Qatar enjoy an ongoing long-term strategic partnership. Qatar Investment Agency is Rosneft’s largest shareholder. Both countries are members of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum headquartered in Doha, Qatar. Coordination of our efforts on the global gas market ensures a balance of supply and demand at a level that suits gas producers and consumers alike.

We are expanding our investment cooperation. Qatar Investment Agency invests in leading Russian companies. The partnership with the Russian Direct Investment Fund is on track to see more success. Several other joint projects worth over 160 billion roubles, or 7.2 billion Qatari riyals, are in the works.

Last year, Russia significantly, by over 50 percent, increased its food and agriculture exports to the Qatari market.

Russian producers are ready to increase exports of organic food, primarily halal products. We are looking into transport as a promising area of cooperation. This primarily includes a well-known North-South international transport corridor. There are direct Moscow-Doha flights connecting our countries. We would like to see the geography of the flights expand. I am sure this would be instrumental in promoting, among other things, tourist exchanges and strengthening people-to-people contacts.

Esteemed Prime Minister, I am ready to discuss the priority items on our bilateral agenda, and I am pleased to turn the floor over to you.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani (retranslated):

Mr Prime Minister, thank you for hosting me here today. I am very pleased to have this meeting with you and, in general, with the opportunity to visit Moscow. In addition, I am happy that I have a meeting with His Excellency the President and my counterpart, the Foreign Minister, scheduled for tomorrow.

There are a number of issues that we will focus on. Today, we will review bilateral relations. You have listed the key areas in which we enjoy established partnerships. Russia plays a key role in the energy market, in food security, and the security of supplies. These are the areas that we will discuss with you today, Your Excellency.

In addition, you have mentioned investment in energy and other areas. Here, in Russia, we look forward to reviewing the possibilities of moving cooperation in these areas forward.

Political relations between our countries are steady and continue to improve, which makes it possible for us to discuss cooperation in political terms, as well as cooperation on international issues and conflicts. We hope that the ongoing conflict between Russia and Ukraine will be resolved soon peacefully in accordance with the principles of international law and the UN Charter. Qatar supports any and all diplomatic efforts to promote this agenda, and I look forward to discussing these issues with the Foreign Minister tomorrow.

I hope we will be able to discuss bilateral relations during our meeting today.