Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the Emir of Qatar opened here today the 20th World Petroleum Congress, which began its activities last night. In an inaugural address, Sheikh Hamad highlighted the strategic importance of the geographical location, which the Middle East region enjoys and said it possesses the vast reserves of oil and gas. Additionally, the region shares its important (part) in the production and trading of these vital commodities, transforming it as the heart of the global energy industry. "Moreover, the convening of this conference in this region is a symbolic recognition of the importance of its position in the energy industry," Sheikh Hamad noted. --MORE
