Volkswagen hold talks with investors in Qatar following emission scandal

German car maker Volkswagen said that its CEO and Supervisory Board Chairman are in meeting with one of the company's important investor, Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), on Sunday in Doha, Qatar.

The talks is following reports that the QIA is calling for changes in the Volkswagen's management.

The company's CEO Mathias Mueller, Supervisory Board Chairman Hans Dieter Poetsch and the leaders of QIA were discussing the investigations to the company's emission tests cheating and its new structure and future business focus, according to Reuters.

The QIA was reported earlier that it would demand a scaling back of the role of Volkswagen's works council, which has great influence at the German car maker and has held up cost cuts in the past.

The Volkswagen works council's representatives hold as many seats on the company's supervisory board as shareholders.

But the Volkswagen's spokesman said that the role of the works council were not on the agenda of the talks. The German company denied that the talks were to reduce the influence of Volkswagen to battle its emissions scandal.

The company also denied that the meeting in Qatar was to discuss labor issues.

Volkswagen is describing the talks in Qatar as a routine introductory visit by the company's CEO and Supervisory Board Chairman, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Eric Felber, the Volkswagen spokesman said that the meeting is a normal introductory visit by the new management to one of the company's most important partners, one of its most important shareholders.

The Qatar Investment Authority holds about 17 percent stake in automaker Volkswagen. The QIA in the Volkswagen's supervisory board was represented by  the CEO of Qatar Airways Akbar Al Baker, and Vice Chairman of Qatar Holding LLC Hussain Ali Al-Abdulla.

Volkswagen's share price fell sharply since the emission scandal was disclosed on September 18. The emission scandal has cost the company a bill which analysts say could top 40 billion euros ($44 billion) for fines, lawsuits, and vehicle refits.

It has wiped off Volkswagen's stock market value and urged the company to make massive cuts.

Sales of Volkswagen cars fell 20 percent in the UK and 24 percent in the U.S. in November following the emission scandal, according to BBC News.

The U.S. authorities disclosed in September that Volkswagen cheated on emissions testing by installing software on some diesel models of its cars. The company then admitted that nearly 11 million cars worldwide contained the software.

Several investors had criticized Volkswagen management after the emission scandal was disclosed.