Berlin, Nov 7, (dpa/GNA) – German criticism of Qatari human rights policy, in the run-up to the World Cup, seems hypocritical, says Qatar’s foreign minister, in light of German willingness to strike gas deals with the country, to ensure heating supplies.
Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdel-Rahman, also called European criticism of Qatar “very racist,” in comments to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper, published on Monday.
“On the one hand, the German people are being informed incorrectly. On the other, the government has no problem with us, when it comes to energy partnerships or investments,” he said.
Ever since Qatar was named as host of this year’s football World Cup, criticism has mounted in the West about the way guest workers, usually migrants, are treated. Additional concerns relate to human rights and personal freedoms there.
However, Qatar is a key global producer of gas, which has become more expensive since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The conflict prompted most Western countries, to begin boycotts of Russia, which in turn has turned off the gas taps to most Western countries. Several world leaders, including ones from Germany, have paid visits to Qatar in recent months in an attempt to secure supplies.
Bin Abdel-Rahman, said he could not understand why there is one standard for football and another for fuel. “This is not the kind of relationship that we want to see between two countries like Germany and Qatar,” he said.
GNA