By Santhosh V. Perumal/Business Reporter

Qatar is seeking to strengthen relationships and create partnerships with Latin America, which represents a “promising” market for the country, according to HE the Foreign Minister Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah.

Highlighting the exchange of visits to various Latin American countries at the highest level in view of the strengthening relations, al-Attiyah said this led to the signing of several agreements in 2014, especially in the areas of economic co-operation and trade.

“Qatar is seeking to further these relationships and create partnerships based on greater co-operation and common interests, especially considering this region has a great variety of economic and commercial possibilities, and represents a promising market for Qatar,” he said in an interview to Oxford Business Group.

Just as the work of the country has focused on the development of relations and partnerships with many European and Asian countries, Qatar is also seeking to strengthen relations with various Latin American countries, he said.

Early this year, Qatar's ambassador to Caracas, Battal Meajeb al-Dosari said the Gulf country is targeting investments in Venezuela's mining and tourism sectors; while there have also been reports that Qatar Airways is eyeing Barcelona as a potential intermediate hub for its flights between the Middle East and Latin America.

Qatar is working to further promote and develop co-operation with all countries, as well as with global organisations, and to foster the development of bilateral and multilateral relations to serve the public policy of the state, al-Attiyah said.

“These relationships work to support the economic vision adopted by Qatar’s leadership through the strengthening of political and economic partnerships with numerous countries,” he said.

This foreign policy is particularly important, he said, as it has transformed the bilateral relationships between Qatar and other countries into strategic partnerships based on a framework of economic, commercial, cultural and political co-operation.

“We approach all our relations with friendly nations with the goal of investigating opportunities of joint interest for our people and the peoples of others countries,” al-Attiyah said.

Asserting that Qatar evaluates its relationships with everyone in accordance to common interests between both parties; he said the country's “foreign politics are clear and respected by everyone, a policy that serves our economic development among other aspects, although our economic interests do not affect our foreign policy.”

On steps being taken towards a more unified agenda among the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) members; he said Qatar is eager to enhance relations with the GCC, at the bilateral level and within the council system itself, in order to achieve common goals.

“Emerging differences between member states becomes a thing of the past and will not affect the process of future relations, because what bonds Qatar and other Gulf states will always be stronger than any impact that the difference of opinion on specific issues could have,” the foreign minister said.

Asked how regional movements (in view of the Syrian crisis) impact domestic safety and affect economic performance; he said Qatar is working in this area through the international alliance system, which is leading the war against terrorism, and supporting the coalition’s efforts.