Gas troika meeting expected Wednesday

TEHRAN, Nov. 10 (UPI) -- Energy officials from Iran, Qatar and Russia plan to hold trilateral talks in Doha later this week to discuss gas cooperation, Iranian officials said Monday.

The three countries met in October to discuss forming a natural gas cartel modeled after the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. Iran, Qatar and Russia hold about 60 percent of the world's natural gas reserves.

Reza Kasaeizadeh, managing director of the National Iranian Gas Export Co., said the Doha meeting will focus on creating a trilateral body to handle cooperation, the Iranian Press TV reported.

"The three countries are going to discuss (in Doha) the creation of a Supreme Technical Committee," the director said.

Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari described the talks as a "turning point" in the Iranian natural gas sector. Iran last week, meanwhile, suspended exports to the United Arab Emirates because talks had stalled on provisions of export agreements.

The troika meeting will convene Wednesday in Doha, the capital of Qatar.