DOHA, Feb 12: Russian President Vladimir Putin's regional tour took him to gas-rich Qatar on Monday where he mooted the idea of a gas version of oil cartel OPEC after having offered Saudi Arabia help to develop atomic energy.

In Doha on the second leg of a Middle East tour aimed at boosting military and energy ties with traditional US allies, Mr Putin hailed the controversial idea of a world gas supply syndicate as “interesting”.

“Who said that we rejected the idea of creating a gas cartel,” Russia's Ria Novosti agency quoted Mr Putin as telling journalists. “We haven't rejected anything. I said it was an interesting proposition.

“Are we going to create this cartel, do we need it, that's another discussion,” he added on his arrival in Qatar, which has the world's third largest gas reserves after Russia and Iran.

The Russian leader arrived from Riyadh where, on his first visit to the oil-rich kingdom, he offered to help Saudi Arabia develop atomic energy and pledged to develop ties with the Islamic world.

His offer to key US ally Saudi follows an announcement by oil-rich Gulf Arab states two months ago to pursue nuclear energy technology.

Russia is also building a nuclear reactor in Iran amid an international standoff with the West, which suspects the Islamic republic is seeking nuclear weapons, a charge denied by Iran.

“Russia is determined to enhance cooperation with the Islamic world,” Mr Putin told a forum of Saudi and Russian business leaders on the second day of his trip, which has put the seal on the improving ties between Moscow and Riyadh.

Saudi King Abdullah on Sunday hailed him as “a statesman, a man of peace, a man of justice.” Mr Putin, whose country has been trying to restore its international clout, set the stage for his three-nation Middle East tour with a scathing attack on Washington's foreign policy, describing US dominance as “ruinous.”

He told business leaders in Riyadh that Russia is a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country where Christians and Muslims coexist peacefully, and had long experience in promoting cooperation between ethnic groups and religions.

“Russia is bent on pursuing this approach in all regions, including the Middle East and the Arab Gulf,” he said.

Mr Putin, whose government is anxious to sell weapons to a country that has traditionally relied on Western manufacturers, also met on Monday with Crown Prince and Defence Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz.

A diplomatic source has said Mr Putin's talks were expected to lead to a “verbal understanding” on the sale of about 150 Russian T-90 battle tanks to Riyadh, which is seeking to diversify its defence systems.

King Abdullah stressed the importance of the world's two top oil producers cooperating to keep world markets stable after prices soared late last year only to drop back sharply.—AFP