Abu Dhabi: The positive role played by the UAE in regional and international forums is a cumulative balance of its diplomatic performance and its relations with the world, based on United Nations’ conventions and international laws that promote justice, stability, development, and international security and peace, said the UAE Foreign Minister.
Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Foreign Minister, told the London-based Al Hayat newspaper in an interview on the occasion of the UAE’s 43rd National Day, observed on December 2, that the UAE’s stance on counter-terrorism has been firm and has not changed over decades as the region has been driven by sectarianism and violence that tears apart its social fabric.
Regarding the UAE’s role in counter-terrorism activity over the last two years, Shaikh Abdullah said, “Our position on counter-terrorism and on tackling all forms of terrorism has been firm for decades, and has been translated into cooperation and coordination with the international community, to tackle it in terms of security and at an intellectual level, as well as providing support to fight it.”
Shaikh Abdullah said that the UAE not only sees terrorism as a violation of human rights but also as a threat to countries’ values, since it tears apart the social fabric and causes insecurity and instability. Terrorism also demolishes the achievements of urban development and elements of the heritage of mankind, he said.
He pointed out that the region is experiencing all forms of extremism, terrorism and sectarianism that pose serious threats to “our national security and international security and peace”.
He said Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz had restored the compass of joint activity by the GCC states to its correct direction during the Riyadh extraordinary summit held last month. He cited the important strategic developments in the fraternal historic relations between Abu Dhabi and Riyadh.
The UAE Foreign Minister reiterated that the success of the Riyadh Summit can be attributed to the patience, frankness and transparency of King Abdullah to achieve the reconciliation, to unite the GCC and to bring views closer together regarding the serious challenges facing the region, as well as the need for strengthening the GCC work in such a way that it can extend to the whole Arab world.
The UAE Foreign Minister said that foreign policy does not move on its own, but responds to the changing and renewable global system. This, he said, requires deep understanding and vision based on countries “taking bold decisions whenever necessary to preserve our national interests”. He added that the positive participation of the UAE in the international coalition on counter-terrorism reflects this vision through its participation in the global counter-terrorism coalition, the United Nations Security Council and the Regional Meeting for Counter-terrorism in Jeddah, which arrived at a unified regional and international common vision on counter-terrorism in terms of security and economic and intellectual aspects.
