Qatar ‘rejoins bid to develop Greek airport’
Doha, February 21, 2013
Qatar has rejoined a public competition to develop the former Athens airport, one of the prized sites of Greece's privatisation drive, a Greek spokesman said.
The emirate "has signed the confidentiality agreement and is returning to the Hellinikon tender," government spokesman Simos Kedikoglou said.
Qatari Diar, a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority, had pulled out of the tender in January prior to a visit to Doha by Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
Greek reports at the time had suggested that Qatar would discuss only a direct assignment of the contract.
The three other bidders are Elbin Cochin Limited from Israel, London & Regional Properties from Britain, and Lamda Development of Greece.
Qatar has also announced it will invest up to $1.34 billion in a joint fund with Athens to bolster the Greek industry. – TradeArabia News Service