Mohamed bin Zayed, Putin discuss bilateral relations, expanded

 His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, today discussed with President of Russia Vladimir Putin ties of friendship and co-operation between the two countries. They also tackled overall regional and international issues of mutual interest.

This followed discussions, as the Russian President received Sheikh Mohamed and his accompanying delegation at the Kremlin.

Putin welcomed Sheikh Mohamed, expressing his happiness at again meeting with him to discuss bilateral relations and Middle East issues.

At their meeting, the Russian President said,'' I welcome you to Moscow. There are important ties between our two countries and we are exerting efforts to enhance them to the highest levels." He added, "There is a joint committee which works to enhance economic relations in all areas, and I believe that it will make a positive contribution. Of course, it is very important for us to invest in this cooperation and I know that there are many promising plans in this area."

Putin also confirmed that the visit came at an important time to discuss developments in the region, noting, ''I am happy to receive our friends in Moscow."

For his part, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi expressed his happiness at being in Moscow to discuss with the Russian President ways to boost bilateral relations and to conduct consultations regarding a number of regional and international issues of mutual interest. Also, Sheikh Mohamed conveyed his greetings from President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan and his wishes for further progress and the general welfare in all fields for the Russian people.

Sheikh Mohamed noted, '' I am happy to be in Moscow and we hope to develop trade exchanges and will discuss the best ways to enhance this approach. We are happy to discuss issues about the Middle East, as Russia plays an important and vital role in the region, and we hope to further develop our ties, which would contribute to making the Middle East region more stable and secure."

The Russian President also asked Sheikh Mohamed to reciprocate his greetings to President His Highness Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed and wished the friendly people of the UAE would see further development, progress and improved welfare.

Additionally, Sheikh Mohamed expressed his regret over the flydubai plane that crashed while landing in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don last Saturday. He also extended his heartfelt condolences to the Russian President, the friendly people of Russia and families of the victims of the tragic incident.

During the meeting, they also reviewed bilateral relations and ways to develop them, in light of the distinguished bonds of friendship and growing co-operation between the two countries. The two sides also tackled ways to bolster the existing co-operation between the UAE and Russia in the economic, investment and trade sectors, in the best interests of the two friendly peoples and countries, in a bid to meet the aspirations of the leaderships of the two countries, as well as to open wider horizons of ties and economic partnerships in the future.

Sheikh Mohamed and President Putin also reviewed the latest developments in regional and global arenas, especially the Syrian crisis, fighting terrorist organisations and the situation in the Middle East.

The two sides emphaised the joint keenness for continuous consultations regarding issues in the region, other global topics of mutual interest and the importance of doubling international efforts to fight the threat of terrorism and not to relent with or give terror the opportunity to expand, as it is deemed a global threat to all people.

In this regard, they also pointed to the terrorist bombings that took place last Tuesday in Brussels, leading to casualties among innocent civilians, expressing their condemnation of this terrorist act. They stressed the importance of cooperation, and pledged to unite and exert more efforts aimed at ridding the world of terrorism and extended their condolences to the Government of Belgium and its people, while wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.

Among those who attended the meeting were Ali bin Hammad Al Shamsi, Deputy Secretary-General of the National Security Council, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority (EAA), Omar Saif Ghobash, UAE Ambassador to the Russian Federation, and Mohammed Mubarak Al Mazrouei, Under-Secretary of the Court of Abu Dhabi Crown Prince.

Also attending were Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, Russian presidential foreign policy aide Yuri Victorovich Ushakov, Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade of the Russian Federation, Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak and other senior Russian officials.

Source:WAM