UAE vows support for Pakistan efforts

Islamabad: The UAE's Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Ali Mohammad Hamad Al Shamsi has reiterated the country's support to Pakistan's efforts to overcome its difficulties and to fight terrorism and extremism.

Al Shamsi made the remarks after a meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmoud Qureshi in Islamabad on Thursday.

"The talks with His Excellency the Foreign Minister came as continuation of the discussions made during the meeting of special representatives to Pakistan and Afghanistan, held on last Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. We also touched on issues of mutual interest, including bilateral relations, the upcoming Friends of Democratic Pakistan [FODP] Public-Private Partnership Conference at Dubai on January 26, 2010, counter-terrorism and efforts towards accelerating the process of reintegration and development in Afghanistan," he said.

They also discussed Pakistan's relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

National consensus

Qureshi expressed his gratitude to the UAE Government, especially Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, for taking the initiative to hold the Public Private Partnership Conference in Dubai, which, he said, would go a long way in assisting Pakistan in its socio-economic development.

Qureshi also appreciated the UAE's engagement in the reconstruction of Swat and Malakand. Al Shamsi is scheduled to visit Afghanistan to meet President Hamid Karzai, the Foreign Minister and senior officials.

He emphasised that the national consensus against terrorism and militancy would be difficult to hold if efforts towards rehabilitating and reconstructing the affected areas failed to deliver.

The Associated Press of Pakistan said that the Special Representative thanked Qureshi for attending the recently-held Special Representatives meeting in Abu Dhabi. He assured Qureshi that Shaikh Abdullah was exploring all possible avenues to make the Public Private Partnership Conference a big success.