Lithuanian PM, Qatar's ex-PM discuss possible QIA investments

VILNIUS – Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte is on Friday meeting with Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al-Thani, a former prime minister of Qatar.

Rasa Jakilaitiene, Simonyte's spokeswoman, has said that it is a working meeting to discuss possible investments in Lithuania by the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Qatar's sovereign wealth fund. 

A Qatari delegation that visited Lithuania back in 2012 looked for investment opportunities in the country. The Arab Sheikhs' envoys then met with government officials and business representatives. 

Mykolas Majauskas, then advisor to the prime minister and now chairman of the parliamentary Budget and Finance Committee, took part in the meeting with QIA representatives. 

He told the Delfi online news site that public projects and possible private investments in Lithuania had been discussed with QIA representatives, but added that it was too early to speak about specific investments. 

Dalia Grybauskaite, the then president of Lithuania, visited Qatar in 2012 to discuss gas supplies to Lithuania through a would-be liquefied natural gas terminal.

She said after her meeting with Qatar's leaders that the visit had met expectations and that the Arab country showed its willingness to cooperate.

The QIA was founded in 2005 to protect and grow Qatar's financial assets and diversify its economy. Its investments cover a wide range of different markets, asset classes, sectors and geographic locations.