TEHRAN(Bazaar) – Professor Hossein Askari, who teaches international business at the George Washington University, says Biden and democrats generally dislike MBS and are still upset about the assassination of Khashoggi.
He adds “Biden remembers Qatar’s support in the evacuation from Afghanistan. He sees Qatar as more reliable than Saudi Arabia as they also have the largest U.S. military base in the region.”
Following is the text of the Bazaar interview with Professor Hossein Askari.
Bazaar: The Emir of Qatar, Tamim bin Hamad, traveled to Washington and met with Joe Biden and according to some news, this trip was related to the export of Qatari gas to Europe. Is Qatar's gas export to Europe possible in the short term?
Askari: It all depends what you mean by short-term? One to three months, no, but later yes. Also, U.S. could export more LNG to Europe. But Europe would still have to economize on its use of gas.”
Bazaar: According to some data, the amount of Qatari gas will not be enough for European countries. On this basis, is it possible for European countries to become independent of Russian energy?
Askari: Europe cannot be independent of Russian gas for the foreseeable future. Let me explain.
Europe’s needs in the medium term cannot be met by Qatar and the U.S. Also, I am not sure that Qatar wants to alienate Putin. I have for over 20 years said that the best alternative source of independence is gas from Iran. But the U.S. was against it 20 years ago and still is given the sanctions that are in place. But now that Iran has befriended Russia and China, this is out of the question for now.
But remember, Russia wants to sell its gas too.
So to my mind, Europe has to do a combination of things: ask for U.S. and Qatari LNG, reduce its Russian purchases and to some degree preserve its use of nuclear power.
Bazaar: If Qatar can export gas to Europe and break Russia's monopoly, what effect will this have on Qatar's relations with Russia?
Askari: Relations would fall off a cliff.
Bazaar: Biden announced that he introduces Qatar as the main non-NATO ally. While Donald Trump has established a very close relationship with Saudi Arabia, Biden appears to have moved to Qatar, the third Gulf state after Kuwait and Bahrain, where the United States has named its main non-NATO ally close friends. What are the reasons for this approach of the Biden government?
Askari: I think that Trump and his son-in-law, Kushner, had and have business relations with Saudi Arabia and Biden does not. I believe that Biden and democrats generally dislike MBS and are still upset about the assassination of Khashoggi. Biden wants to distance himself from MBS and his policies. And Biden remembers Qatar’s support in the evacuation from Afghanistan. He sees Qatar as more reliable than Saudi Arabia as they also have the largest U.S. military base in the region.
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