Putin’s spokesperson: Impossible to buy back Rosneft from Qatar

MOSCOW, Jun 7 (PRIME) -- The Russian authorities see deliberations about buying back a stake in oil major Rosneft from the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) as incorrect and impossible, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Wednesday.

“We do not see such eventual deliberations as correct or possible,” Peskov said.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the sale of a stake in Rosneft to the QIA had a buyback option.

Sources cited by the newspaper said that buyback was discussed between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. They agreed that Russia will buy back at least a part of the interest.

The government sold the stake in Rosneft to a consortium of commodity trader Glencore and the QIA for 10.5 billion euros in December 2016.

On Monday, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Bahrein and the United Arab Emirates declared a break in diplomatic relations with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorist organizations. The eastern part of Libya, Yemen, Maldives and Mauritius later said they broke relations with Doha as well.

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