President, Saudi minister discuss Mideast situation

President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan on Wednesday received Prince Khalid Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, at Qasr Al Shati in Abu Dhabi.

During the meeting, Prince Khalid conveyed the greetings of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and Prince Mohammed Bin Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia, along with their best wishes for the continued progress and prosperity of the UAE.

In turn, Sheikh Mohamed conveyed his greetings to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques and the Crown Prince and expressed his sincere wishes for the Kingdom’s continued growth, prosperity, and wellbeing under the leadership of King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

The two sides discussed the close fraternal ties between their countries and explored ways to enhance cooperation and coordination in areas that serve their mutual interests and support the aspirations of their peoples for further development and prosperity.

They also exchanged views on regional and international developments, particularly the situation in the Middle East, and reviewed ongoing efforts to preserve regional security and stability in the interest of all its peoples.

Earlier in the day, on behalf of Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed, His Highness Sheikh Khaled Bin Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, led the UAE delegation to the Gulf-US Summit held on Wednesday in Riyadh.

Sheikh Khaled has participated in the meeting, which was attended by the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and Donald Trump, President of the United States of America, to discuss ways to further strengthen friendship and cooperation between the GCC and the US.

Sheikh Khaled extended his sincere appreciation to King Salman Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for hosting the summit, which serves as a valuable opportunity to further strengthen the deep-rooted bonds of friendship and historic cooperation between the GCC and the US.

He reaffirmed the importance of the strategic partnership between the GCC and the US, enabling both sides to advance toward broader horizons of cooperation in a way that fulfils the aspirations and shared interests of their people.

Sheikh Khaled also expressed his full confidence that the summit would further strengthen the existing strategic partnership and drive continued growth and progress across key sectors.

He underscored the importance of enhancing political, economic and security coordination between the GCC and the US to further build a prosperous future for the people of the region.

Sheikh Khaled emphasised that advancing regional and global peace and stability requires effective collaboration and joint action, particularly in light of current global and regional challenges.

Sheikh Khaled highlighted the pivotal role of the US in further promoting regional security and stability, noting that the summit reinforces the longstanding and historic partnership between the two sides, as well as their shared commitment to promoting peace and prosperity.

Sheikh Khaled also commended the efforts of President Donald Trump’s administration in mediating a ceasefire deal between India and Pakistan, reaffirming the importance of dialogue as the only viable path to resolving disputes and strengthening relations for the benefit of both nations and the broader South Asian region.

Sheikh Khaled praised ongoing initiatives aimed at reaching sustainable, peaceful solutions to various regional and international issues.

In this context, Sheikh Khaled expressed optimism about recent rounds of diplomatic dialogue between the United States and Iran, and reaffirmed the UAE’s support for efforts to de-escalate tensions and promote regional stability and prosperity.

Sheikh Khaled reiterated the UAE’s commitment to constructive cooperation with President Trump’s administration.

Sheikh Khaled also reaffirmed the UAE’s steadfast commitment to dialogue and diplomacy, a principle embodied by the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, championed by President Trump.

In this context, Sheikh Khaled underlined the importance of coordinated efforts to reach a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, ensure the delivery of humanitarian aid to civilians, and achieve a just and comprehensive settlement that guarantees the rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of an independent Palestinian state within 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital.

WAM