Qatari LNG Not an Alternative to Russian Gas

Gas rich Qatar has no plans to project itself as an alternative LNG supplier to Europe as the continent looks to reduce reliance on Russian gas, Doha's energy minister told Germany’s Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung daily newspaper Tuesday.

“Qatar does not consider himself a substitute for other producers and exporters," Mohammed Saleh Al Sada said, adding: "We complement each producer.”

Qatar is the world's largest producer of LNG and 30 percent of that goes to Europe.

"We know that energy is not just a commercial product but a very strategic one and we know what responsibility a producer therefore has," Al Sada told Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

The EU will hold fresh talks with Russia and Ukraine in Berlin on Friday to solve gas delivery dispute between the two European neighbours. 

Russia has cut gas supplies to Ukraine but gas flows to EU through Ukraine. However, Moscow has warned of risk of disruptions in near future.