DOHA, March 8 (Xinhua) -- Qatar and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) have signed an agreement on increasing military and security cooperation, the state-run Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported Thursday.
The agreement was signed on Wednesday in Brussels by Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, and Deputy Secretary-General of NATO Rose Gottemoeller.
The agreement would allow NATO forces and personnel to enter and transit Qatar, and use the Al-Udeid Air Base.
It would facilitate NATO's missions and operations in the region, including the Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan, the QNA quoted a NATO statement as saying.
The signing of the agreement came during the official visit of Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani to Belgium, which aims to enhance the bilateral relations between Qatar and European countries.
Qatar has been fighting a full blockade imposed on it since last June by the Arab quartet led by Saudi Arabia that also includes Bahrain, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.
The quartet severed diplomatic ties with Qatar, citing Doha's interference in their domestic affairs and supporting extremism and terrorism. But the tiny oil-rich Gulf nation has strongly denied the charges.
