Dubai: UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Thursday said it is too early to talk about any deployment of Arab troops in Syria and that the report of the League mission will have to be considered first.
“Talk of any Arab country approving or disapproving such a move is farfetched. It is too early to talk about that. We need to wait for the findings of the League observers before reacting. I prefer not to talk about our position before the report is made public.”
Qatar had recently proposed about deploying Arab troops to stem the violence in Syria.
Shaikh Abdullah was speaking during a joint press conference with Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdul Salam at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai yesterday.
Arab foreign ministers are meeting in Cairo on Sunday to discuss the Syrian issue and work towards resolving them under the umbrella of the Arab League and Arab states.
Meanwhile, seeking greater investment in Tunisia, Abdul Salam said a stable and secure Tunisia offers promising opportunities. Calling on UAE investors to come to Tunisia, Abdul Salam said: “One year after the revolution, Tunisia is in a better position to offer opportunities.
“A unity government representing the three main political parties is in power. It is excellent that there is political progress in Tunisia because that would eventually translate into economic development. There is security and stability, which makes conditions conducive to investment.”
Good wishes
Shaikh Abdullah reiterated the UAE’s good wishes to the Tunisian government on the success of the Jasmine Revolution. “The UAE is looking forward to strengthening bilateral relations with Tunisia. We will be working closely on relations because there are good investment opportunities in the private sector.
In August last year, a UAE Foreign Ministry delegation visited Tunisia. In the course of the visit, a committee was formed to work on bilateral relations and study avenues of cooperation.
Shaikh Abdullah said he will personally follow up on the committee’s work.
On the issue of former president Zine Al Abidine Bin Ali’s extradition from Saudi Arabia, Abdul Salam said the matter was in the judiciary’s hands.
“The Tunisian public want him extradited so that he can be tried and the embezzled money recovered. However, the judicial process to extradite him is straightforward and the government need not be directly involved.”
The two leaders also referred to the recent tensions over Iran’s row with the West. Shaikh Abdullah said the situation is unlikely to escalate since all parties are working towards a peaceful solution.
“It is in everyone’s interests that the region remains calm and stable. The situation is presently stable and we do not want anything to hamper the stability. There are tremendous efforts being made by all parties to contain any crisis.” he said.
Abdul Salam stressed the robust relation between the UAE and Tunisia.
“Political relations between Tunisia and UAE have always been stable, but economic relation saw setbacks after a number of Gulf investors withdrew their capital because of corruption during Bin Ali’s rule.
“Today the situation is different and UAE and GCC investors are encouraged to invest,” he said.
Accord with Libya
Libya and Tunisia on Thursday agreed to boost cooperation on security, the fight against “terrorist groups” and border controls, according to a memorandum of understanding signed in Tripoli.
The north African neighbours agreed to “exchange information on the activities and crimes of terrorist groups... their sources of financing and the movements of their leaders,” said the accord.
