'We are in empowerment era'

Dubai: Policies in the UAE are dictated by national principles and interests, President His Highness Shaikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan was quoted yesterday as saying.

Last December's Federal National Council (FNC) elections were just a step towards complete democratic participation, he told the London-based Al Hayat Arabic daily in an interview.

"Our elections were neither imposed by foreign forces nor cloned, but were dictated by national requirements and regional and global changes," Shaikh Khalifa said in the interview, carried also by the WAM news agency.

In the wide-ranging interview, the President spoke about local and Arab issues, including the UAE's elections, demographic imbalance, expatriate labour, Iran's nuclear programme and the Middle East peace process.

"We are confident that [the UAE] democratic experience would push towards more national work in the best interest of our nation, citizens and Arab nation," he said, adding that the country has stepped into "the empowerment era".

The new era includes empowering the FNC and reviewing all societal systems with regards to their aims, policies and means.

"Our ambitions for our nation know no limits," he stressed. Regarding women's participation in political life, Shaikh Khalifa said empowering women and enabling them to hold higher posts such as ministers or parliament members was their natural right, "and not a favour."

"Women in the UAE are equal to their male counterparts, and their participation in the elections was an extension of their role in public life. There is no discrimination between men and women in the UAE, because efficiency and excellence are criteria," emphasised the President.

He said the government is also exerting efforts to address the demographic question and find a solution in a way that preserves the citizen's security and identity.

Middle East peace

On the role of the Arab Quartet Committee, since the UAE is a member of the panel, the President said that the committee is part of Arab diplomatic efforts to revive the peace process and resolve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. In addition to the UAE, the committee is made up of Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan.

"Security coordination between countries is not a new trend, but is necessary in view of the regional and international developments, including security threats. "Coordination between countries is not detrimental to the sovereignty and independence of any country," he said.

However, the UAE's stand is completely in harmony with the Arab stand regarding the right of Palestinians to establish their independent state and the right of Palestinian refugees to return, he added.

Nuclear race

He described the last GCC Summit's resolution on the right of GCC countries to have a peaceful nuclear programme as necessary and said it stressed their right to possess nuclear energy, not for political or military purposes, and not against any country or as a reaction to another programme in the region.

"Our concern over Iran's nuclear programme is justified and reflects our concern to free the Middle East from all weapons of mass destruction.

"We called on Iran to comply with the UN Security Council resolution Number 1737 demanding Iran to freeze its nuclear activities to avoid further tensions in the region," Shaikh Khalifa said.

"Our relations with Iran are historic and based on mutual respect, and hence we call on Iran to peacefully withdraw from our three occupied islands and restore the friendly relations between the two Muslim countries," he added.

"We suggested peaceful means based on international legitimacy and laws and brotherly understanding to resolve the dispute with Iran. We will not resort to foreign powers but will remain determined to find a peaceful solution to the issue of the occupied islands," Shaikh Khalifa said.

The President was clear, however, that the UAE will not support any military action against Iran and will not allow its territories to be used for any military, security or espionage activities against the Islamic republic.

Highlighting the UAE's deep concern over the situation in Iraq, Shaikh Khalifa said: "We have worked sincerely to push the Iraqi political forces to place the higher national interest over other considerations and endorsed the Iraqi government's security plan. We urge the government to adopt a comprehensive national dialogue and seriously work to disarm the militias in order to build a national army and security forces that would preserve Iraq's unity and territorial integrity."

NO LOGIC
Human rights reports 'biased and unfair'

Some media and human rights reports lacked logic and reason when it comes to the conditions of expatriate labour in the UAE, the President said in the interview. The reports are biased and unfair, since they turn a blind eye to the sincere efforts of the government to safeguard workers' rights, he stressed.

"We introduced a health insurance scheme that covers nationals and expatriates and established a labour court to look into the complaints of foreign workers and ensure their rights are protected.

"The Ministry of Labour has set up an inspection authority to ensure the application of health and safety standards at work places and labour accommodations.

"Media reports ignore the annual remittances of 8 to 9.5 per cent of the country's annual gross national product, which are transferred by foreign labourers to their home countries," Shaikh Khalifa explained.

- Staff Report