Emir of Qatar Holds Talks in Slovenia, Visits Spain Tuesday

A photo published by the Emiri Diwan of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad during his meeting with Janez Jansa, Prime Minister of Slovenia, at the Presidential Palace in the capital, Ljubljana, yesterday afternoon.
A photo published by the Emiri Diwan of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad during his meeting with Janez Jansa, Prime Minister of Slovenia, at the Presidential Palace in the capital, Ljubljana, yesterday afternoon.
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Emir of Qatar Holds Talks in Slovenia, Visits Spain Tuesday

A photo published by the Emiri Diwan of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad during his meeting with Janez Jansa, Prime Minister of Slovenia, at the Presidential Palace in the capital, Ljubljana, yesterday afternoon.
A photo published by the Emiri Diwan of Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad during his meeting with Janez Jansa, Prime Minister of Slovenia, at the Presidential Palace in the capital, Ljubljana, yesterday afternoon.

The Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said his talks with the President of Slovenia, Borut Pahor, on Monday were constructive and would contribute to developing relations between the two countries at various levels.

The talks between the two officials focused on bilateral cooperation between Qatar and Slovenia, and the ways to develop them in various political, investment, economic, cultural, and tourism levels..

The two leaders also exchanged views on several regional and international issues of common interest.

In a joint press statement after meeting with the President at the presidential palace in the capital Ljubljana, the Emir said they discussed the latest regional and international developments, particularly those in Europe and the Middle East.

The Qatari Emiri Diwan said in a statement that the Slovenian President praised the development of bilateral relations and cooperation in various aspects, and said he looks forward to developing Slovenian-Qatari partnership to broader horizons, especially with the promising investment opportunities for the two countries and cooperation in energy.

Later, the Emir met Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janez Jansa at the Presidential Palace in Ljubljana.

During the meeting, the officials discussed the means to bolster cooperation, and several issues of joint interest.

The Emir of Qatar and the President of Slovenia witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between Qatar Holding and Spirit Agency to encourage entrepreneurship, foreign investment, and technology in Slovenia.

Sheikh Tamim and the President also inaugurated the Islamic Center in the Slovenian capital Ljubljana on Monday.

The Emir toured the mosque, the cultural building, the library, and the educational departments within the center, which aims to contribute to the consolidation of the tolerant values of Islam among the Muslims of Slovenia, in addition to playing a role in spreading tolerance and moderation among all its attendees.

The Emir begins a two-day official visit to Spain on Tuesday, which the Spanish Foreign Ministry announced on Friday.



Mediator Qatar Says Israel ‘Did Not Abide’ by Gaza Truce Deal

 Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, meets with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, left, at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, meets with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, left, at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP)
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Mediator Qatar Says Israel ‘Did Not Abide’ by Gaza Truce Deal

 Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, meets with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, left, at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP)
Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, meets with Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, left, at the Grand Kremlin Palace in Moscow, Russia, Thursday, April 17, 2025. (Alexander Nemenov/Pool Photo via AP)

Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said Thursday that Israel had failed to respect January’s ceasefire agreement in Gaza, as he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow.

“As you know, we reached an agreement months ago, but unfortunately Israel did not abide by this agreement,” said the ruler of Qatar, a key mediator of the deal.

A truce in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, brokered by Qatar with Egypt and the United States, came into force on January 19, largely halting more than 15 months of fighting triggered by Palestinian fighters’ October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.

The initial phase of the truce ended in early March, with the two sides unable to agree on the next steps. Israel resumed air and ground attacks across the Gaza Strip on March 18 after earlier halting the entry of aid.

Israel said Wednesday that it had converted 30 percent of Gaza into a buffer zone in the widening offensive.

Sheikh Tamim said Qatar would “strive to bridge perspectives in order to reach an agreement that ends the suffering of the Palestinian people, especially in Gaza.”

Putin recognized Qatar’s “serious efforts to resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict” and called deaths in the conflict “a tragedy.”

“A long-term settlement can only be achieved on the basis of the UN resolution and first of all connected to the establishment of two states,” he added.

Israel’s renewed assault has so far killed at least 1,691 people in Gaza, the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory reported, bringing the overall toll since the war erupted to 51,065, most of them civilians.

Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel resulted in the deaths of 1,218 people, also mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official Israeli figures.