UPDATE 1-No Qatar gas projects hurt by crisis - emir

* Believes the worst of the crisis is over

* Says Qatar committed to sustainable gas supplies (Adds more comments, details)

VENICE, Italy, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Natural gas projects in Qatar, the world's biggest producer of liquefied natural gas, have not suffered from the economic crisis, the Gulf country's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, said on Monday.

The emir said there have been signs of improvement in the world economy, "which is a cause to believe that the worst may be over." He reiterated Qatar's commitment to supply gas "in a sustained and secure manner.

"I would like to emphasise that none of our gas projects, which are under construction, was affected, whether in terms of the construction or the production operations or the building of supercarriers or the infrastructure projects at the consumption markets," he said in an address at a ceremony marking the opening of Italy's Adriatic liquefied natural gas terminal.

Qatar will supply gas to the terminal for 25 years. His speech was translated into English. (Reporting by Svetlana Kovalyova; Writing by Ian Simpson in Milan; Editing by Christian Wiessner)