Paris: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, yesterday (Wednesday) held talks with French President Emmanuel Macron, on bilateral relations and ways to broaden avenues of cooperation between both countries.
Shaikh Mohammad arrived in Paris earlier in the day on a state visit to France.
Shaikh Mohammad and Macron discussed regional and international issues of mutual concern as well as ways to augment bilateral ties in all spheres.
During the meeting, Shaikh Mohammad underlined that the UAE and France are partners in the war on terrorism, supporting values of tolerance, promoting interactive dialogue and coexistence between peoples and cultures, as well as rejecting fanaticism and hate. He also highlighted the need to work for peace, stability and development in the Middle East and entire world.
The two leaders discussed bilateral ties of friendship and cooperation in vital areas and ways to develop economic, trade and investment links between the two countries. The talks also touched on prospects for investment opportunities enjoyed by the two countries in view of the deeply rooted historical ties of friendship and common strategic interests.
Shaikh Mohammad expressed his appreciation of Macron’s keenness to support the UAE-French relations. He stressed that the UAE gives great importance to its relations with France, as it seeks to advance them in political, economic, security and cultural spheres, among others.
Mutual interest
He said that there is mutual interest between the two countries to continue consultations at the highest levels about common issues, especially in light of the existence of institutional frameworks to promote and activate consultation through various channels of communication, such as the UAE-French joint committee and the UAE-France strategic dialogue.
Shaikh Mohammad highlighted that the partnership between the UAE and France goes beyond political, economic and security areas to include cultural aspects, as manifested in prestigious institutions like the Sorbonne Abu Dhabi and the Louvre Abu Dhabi. The UAE and France also collaborate their ef-forts to protect cultural heritage in conflict zones.
Shaikh Mohammed said the UAE is keen to deepen its cultural and scientific relations with the friendly countries, which have historic contributions in these areas. “The relations between the UAE and France have transcended the concept of economic, political and cultural interests as they share a humanitarian message that calls for dialogue of cultures and civilisations to promote tolerance and reject all forms of extremism and terrorism."
The French President welcomed Shaikh Mohammad and expressed his hope that it would boost cooperation between both nations and help exchange views on a number of issues and regional and international dossiers that concern the two countries.
Shaikh Mohammad conveyed the greetings from President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan to Macron, who in turn expressed his wishes of good health for Shaikh Khalifa and greater progress for the UAE.
The two leaders stressed their countries’ keenness to continue close consultation and coordination at the highest level on regional and global issues of common interest.
Reem Ebrahim Al Hashemi, Minister of State for International Cooperation Affairs, Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman of Abu Dhabi Executive Affairs Authority, and Mohammad Mubarak Al Mazrouni, Undersecretary of the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince’s Court, were present.
