Qatari businesses looking for more investments in Turkey, prince says

There is a big potential to improve economic relations between Turkey and Qatar, the cousin of Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani and the chairman of a large company has told daily Hürriyet, adding that the Gulf country is looking to conduct more investments in the Turkish market. 

"We are very proud to have this strong relationship with Turkey and we hope that it will be a long relationship," said Qatari Prince Sheikh Suhaim Bin Khalid al-Thani, who also heads the Marakez Group of Companies, in an interview in Qatar on June 14. 

The prince highlighted the potential in sales of food, medical equipment and construction materials from Turkey to Qatar. 

"We … are upset with the situation," he said regarding the lingering crisis with the Gulf countries. 

"It is a surprise for us to have an embargo with the GCC countries. For more than 50 years we were like one country and they [impose] an embargo; it is very disappointing," he said.

The prince also praised the "very good relations" between Turkey and his country. 

"It is not because of the embargo; before the embargo we had excellent relations with Turkey. And the people as well. Turkish investments in Qatar and vice versa have been improving in the past six years. There is always a big potential to improve the economic relations between the two countries, especially from Turkey to Qatar - mainly food and beverage, medical, construction materials. We are always looking for new
 investments in Turkey, we are buying many things and importing from Turkey today," al-Thani said. 

Al-Thani said plans for a poultry plant in Qatar which would be built with a Turkish partner were continuing. He said the investment would be around 1.4 billion Turkish Liras...