Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said...

"It is important for us to coordinate our joint work on markets," Putin said while opening talks with his Qatari counterpart Sheikh Hamad bin Jasim al-Thani.

The two countries already have active energy contacts, including through OPEC and the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). The GECF headquarters is situated in Qatar"s capital Doha. In December 2009, GECF elected Russian Leonid Bokhanovsky as its secretary general.

According to Oil & Gas Journal, Qatar"s proven natural gas reserves amount to 890 trillion cubic feet, making it the world"s third largest gas producer after Russia and Iran.

Qatar"s proven oil reserves stand at 15.2 billion barrels. Qatar was the fifteenth largest crude oil exporter in the world in 2008, according to Oil & Gas Journal.

MOSCOW, March 24 (RIA Novosti)