EU plans Doha defence talks to strengthen security ties with Gulf countries

The European Union and Qatar are deepening their defence cooperation, and "security is fundamental in the current geopolitical context and it's a mutual interest," the EU's new ambassador to Qatar Antonino Maggiore told Euronews in Doha.Maggiore described the EU's defence cooperation thrust in Qatar and the Gulf countries as following two main objectives: connecting private defence industries through a new platform and presenting the EU's common defence industry policies to Qatar and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.In a wide-ranging interview with Euronews at the start of his mandate in Qatar, Maggiore said that the EU and Qatar are organising a seminar on defence technology and artificial intelligence in Doha on 3 December, to connect private-to-private industries, "to create a platform for our defence industry to work together with the Qataris counterpart and possibly also from the GCC."Maggiore said the EU wants to build on existing defence partnerships between Qatar and individual European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Germany."My personal ambition is how the European Union can add value," he said.The seminar will also give the European Commission an opportunity to outline its plans towards the common European defence industry and discuss possible future partnerships with countries outside the bloc."There is a debate ongoing in the European Union on how, especially with the new multi-annual financial framework, which is…